Prejudiced Love
by AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter
Summary: Sometimes, love is the only solution. Other times, love is the problem. Our story takes us to Ancient Greece where Corinth and Athens are bitter rivals. And fixing relations requires Prince Perseus and Princess Annabeth to marry. The two immediately take a disliking to one another, but when war is afoot, they must put aside their differences. And maybe fall in love... Percabeth AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone! This idea came to me in the middle of the night, and I quickly sought to expand on it. I hope you enjoy! I'm open to any suggestions!**

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 _"Those who hate most fervently must have once loved deeply; those who want to deny the world must have once embraced what they now set on fire."_

 _-Kurt Tucholsky_

Long ago, in a world we now consider mythological, there stood a country. Far spread and full of power, it graced itself with the name of Greece. The Greeks, as they called themselves, believed in the Gods who lived upon Mount Olympus. On the thrones of Olympus, there were 12 Gods. Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, Apollo, Artemis, Athena, Aphrodite, Hermes, Dionysus, Ares, and Hephaestus. In the middle of the Throne Room sat Hestia, tending to the Hearth. In the midst of the dead resided Hades, Lord of the Underworld. These Gods had many children, with immortals and mortals. These children held power and abilities beyond any other being. Their mortal wits and godly gifts allowed them to become wonderful leaders and renowned warriors. The beings produced by a union between a god and a mortal are often referred to as demigods. And that is where the tale of two of the most famous demigods in all of ancient history begins. In Athens and Corinth sit Annabeth Chase and Perseus Jackson, the Heroes of Olympus and the Saviors of Greece.

-Ω-

 **Athens**

Princess Annabeth Chase slowly descended the Grand Staircase, responding to the summons of her father, King Frederick Chase of Athens. She strolled through many a decorative corridor, all filled with paintings and statues of Gods and previous rulers. She rarely ever found the chance to observe the beauty of the artwork that surrounded her in the protected palace she called home. The chambers in which she resided were bare and unlively, and she took any opportunity she could to take in the full experience as she passed into the main wing of the palace.

After a long stretch of time that she spent procrastinating, Annabeth finally reached the statue of Athena, the Goddess of wisdom, which stood outside the entrance to the royal chambers. The Goddess was dressed in a beautiful _chiton,_ covered in detailed tapestries, telling the stories of Athena's past. Annabeth scanned the idol's outfit, looking for any loose threads. When she found one, she lightly yanked on it and stepped back. The wall in front of her bent back to reveal another set of passages, leading to the personal chambers of the royal family. She stepped forward another 100 yards before arriving at her father's room. She raised her fist to knock on the door, but hesitated, worrying about the reason for her father's summons. But being the confident princess she was, she once again lifted her hand, and knocked. Frederick's handmaid opened the door for the princess and moved away.

Annabeth spotted Frederick sitting on the far end of the very large room, filing some paperwork. He quickly put away his materials and turned to face his eldest child.

"Hello, Annabeth. Come. Take a seat." Frederick beckoned her and gestured towards the _klinai_ that lay a few feet beside him.

"Yes, Father."

Annabeth took a seat, but didn't dare lean back in her chair, or take up a position that was even slightly comfortable. She may have held 50% of the King's genes, but that had never affected the treatment she received from the man she called her father.

"Now Annabeth, you may be wondering why I called you down here…" Frederick began as he directed his eyes to the twenty-one-year-old princess who sat in front of him. Annabeth simply nodded at the king's statement.

"Well, your Mother and I-''

"Helen is not my mother," though she wasn't keen on getting on the King's bad side, she absolutely refused to call that evil wretch of a woman her mother.

"Annabeth, Helen is married to me, and I am your father. That makes her your mother. It has been fourteen years. You must learn to adapt.''

"I'm sorry, Father," she said, simply bowing her head to avoid showing the anger that gleamed in her eyes.

"As you know, Athens and Corinth have been rivals for the longest of time. Mainly because of our patrons. Though Queen Sally and I have no bad blood with one another, we must now overcome our differences and must unite to prepare for any danger that we face in the future. I have spoken to… certain people, to say the least, and I have made a decision. You will be the one to fix relations with Corinth."

"Why would we need to fix relations? We're perfectly well-off on our own." Annabeth responded, looking for a way out of whatever her father was conspiring.

"Corinth is quite rich, and we could do with a wealthy ally. Plus, this bond may fix the enmity between our patrons. Do you understand now? This is crucial for our survival."

"I wouldn't say crucial, but yes, I understand. But either way, how will I do as such, Father?"

Frederick smirked. "That will be up to you and a certain someone. I figure that you will manage on your own without my assistance. I shall leave you be for now. I will have my chambermaid reach out to you if I receive any correspondence. Goodbye, Annabeth."

Annabeth nodded a goodbye to her father and was quickly on her way back up to the Library. As she passed through the corridors, she laid eyes on Athena's shrine. Realizing that this was her only chance at escape, she offered some olives and burned some incense.

"Athena, please help me through whatever Father is planning. If I inherited any of your knowledge, then I know exactly what he's thinking of. Please save me from this cruel fate. Thank you."

-Ω-

 **Corinth**

"Prince Perseus, your mother has called for you."

"Ah, yes. I'll be on my way. Thank you." Perseus rose from his desk and stretched. He looked out the large window that expanded across the wall of his large chamber. Quickly realizing that night had fallen, he rushed to get dressed for his meeting with his mother. Walking over to his large wardrobe, he pulled out a cloak and threw it on over his night clothes. Grabbing his sword, _Anaklusmos,_ he left his room and headed to his mother's chamber.

"Hello Mom." Sally looked up from her book and waved to Percy.

"Hello darling. Come take a seat, I've been meaning to speak to you about something."

"What would that be?"

"Political matters and such, but before I take care of that, I have motherly duties to attend to." Sally's expression softened as she took a seat next to Percy on the dewan. "Percy, Honey, are you feeling alright? I don't want to pry or to rush your grieving, but you've been moping ever since her death. I understand your love for her, but it has been nearly two and a half years, and you haven't spoken to anybody outside of me, Paul, your personal keeps, and any courtiers that you're forced to speak to. I just want you to be happy, no matter the cost."

"Mom, I will be okay. This has taken time, and it will continue to, but I will still do what I have to in order to fulfill the needs of my people. I am Prince Perseus of Corinth. Nothing more, nothing less. My duty shall keep me occupied, and my work shall keep my emotions at bay. I'll be fine. There's no need to worry about me.

"Are you sure, Percy?"

"Yes, Mother. Now what did you want to speak to me about?"

"Oh, yes. You know of the drought that has corrupted our land for years?" Percy nodded. "Well, I've spoken to several prophets, consulted Oracles, and have discussed it with the Gods. No one has given me a clear answer, and I haven't a clue what to truly do, but all of them mentioned enemies, friends, love, and hate. I have taken it upon myself to crack the code, but in the meantime, we have to get on good terms with Athens. Our country's future could possibly depend on this. Percy, I love you more than anything in this cruel world, and it breaks my heart to have to ask you to do this, but I need you to partake in fixing our relationship with Athens. Son, will you do so?"

"Of course. There is nothing I would find more honor in. What do I need to do?"

"You need to speak with Chiron. He'll be able to help you. He can show you how to get in contact with King Frederick. Paul will be busy for quite some time. The citizens are not happy at all. You're our only hope, Percy. I can only think of one solution, but I know you don't want that. Please try to figure things out."

"I won't let you down, Mother. And I know exactly what you're thinking of. If push comes to shove, I'll be more than happy to sacrifice a few freedoms. I'll restore Corinth back to its original glory. Everything will be okay. I will be okay, you will, Paul will, but most importantly, the subjects of Corinth will be satisfied."

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 **That was Chapter 1 of** ** _Prejudiced Love._** **To some, it may look different, but that's because I edited it a little to keep it relevant and properly in touch with the story. I would love some feedback on the story. Let me know what you think, and I'll gladly take your suggestions. My updates are often spread apart, and I apologize for that, but I'm working on a lot of new things right now.**

 **I hope you enjoyed that chapter! Be sure to check out the poll on my page!**

 **Thank you!**

 **Love,**

 **-AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter**


	2. Chapter 2

**And I'm back! I apologize for the loooong break between chapters. I took a break from fanfiction to take care of some other things. I only started writing again last week. I realized I wasn't reading enough books and took the time to also catch up on my reading list. For the next few weeks, I have a lot of free time and hope to write a lot more. I'll bore you no longer. Here's chapter two!**

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 **CHAPTER 2**

 _"There is no remedy for love, but to love more."_

 _-Henry David Thoreau_

King Frederick paced back and forth in his chamber, waiting for his audience with a very special… _person._ So many thoughts ran through his head. A good majority of them revolved around his daughter. Frederick knew that he was never a great father. Actually, that was an understatement. He was probably the worst father in existence, but he really didn't care. She was the least of his worries. If anything, she was the cause of most of his problems. He had never really wanted her. He had once loved her mother, but knew they couldn't be together. His wretched daughter reminded him too much of what his lover had been and of what they'd had.

Thoughts of his daughter brought his mind back to his meeting. When he had mentioned his appointment to his Queen, she was none too happy. This guest was a very dangerous character. Her wit had never met a match. No one ever stood a chance against her manipulation. Even Frederick was slightly nervous, despite knowing her very, _very_ well. He had many wonderful memories with this woman. But that was in the past. Only time could tell what would happen and how it would go. Until then, he'd have to wait patiently and doubt himself and regret his past mistakes.

Frederick suddenly felt a burst of light. He rose from his seat and slowly turned around only to jerk back to his previous position at the sight of a blinding flash. Though his eyes were closed, he could sense a powerful aura from behind him. He wanted to watch, as he knew that it would be a beautiful sight to see, but he had enough sense not to. The light died down and Frederick heard footsteps. Quickly, the King swiveled around and bowed.

"W-welcome, Milady," he stuttered.

"Frederick Chase. It has been a while, hasn't it? Sit. I would like to have a word with you."

As much as the Gods of Olympus resented mortals, they seemed to spend a lot of time meddling with the mortal world. Eons spent on Olympus resulted in severe cases of boredom, and what better entertainment than those who worship you? While some of the Gods found it hilarious to dress up and torment humans, the more sensible of the lot- Athena, Poseidon, and Hephaestus- found pastimes among themselves. Of course, even the wisest of beings get into arguments. And the occasional everlasting fight…

That was how the rivalry between Athena and Poseidon began. They'd always had rocky relationship, but their competitive spirits were what started the ongoing fight between the two deities. Athens was the most sought after province in Greece. The citizens were strong, brave, and kind-hearted. While Zeus didn't care much for the city, Athena and Poseidon lunged for the opportunity to be its patron. They fought day and night for years until they reached a compromise- actually, more like a civil decision. They would both present the city's inhabitants with a gift that would help better their lives. Poseidon went with the obvious choice. Water. He struck the ground with his trident and created a well of "drinking water". Unfortunately, the water was filled with salt and wasn't of any use to the citizens, giving Athena a huge head start. She sat on her options for a little longer, thinking through every little detail. She soon decided on an olive tree. Cecrops, the King of Athens at the time, weighed his options and picked Athena. They celebrated and named their city in honor of their new patron goddess. Disappointed and angry, Poseidon gave up and found himself a new city, Corinth. From that moment forward, Poseidon and Athena created a new found enmity which could not be resolved. And they turned Athens and Corinth against each other.

Though both immortals secretly wanted to heal the rift, they didn't know how to approach the topic without causing an uproar throughout Olympus. So eons later, she and Poseidon secretly agreed to work together and reunite Athens and Corinth. And when the heirs to the Jackson and Chase lines were born, Athena knew just what to do.

Every night, before going to sleep, Queen Sally Jackson prayed. She sat and prayed for her son, her husband, and her kingdom. Never for herself. She knew that if her son was happy, she would be too. And she didn't only pray to Poseidon, no, she prayed to everyone. Hestia for warmth, Hera for a happy marriage and family, Hermes for the truth, Apollo for health, Artemis for moonlight, Ares for military tactics, Demeter for trees and air, Hades for a long life, Zeus for rain, and even Athena for knowledge and strength. And one would be stupid to think that these prayers went unheard. No. As a matter of fact, the prayers were most definitely heard and received justice.

Athena had taken a liking to the queen ever since her coronation. Both of Sally's parents had died when she was ten, and her Uncle (who had become king) died when she was fifteen. She went from a happy, carefree teenager to Queen of Corinth in a matter of minutes. Yet, she still managed to keep her liveliness. The remains of her childhood could be seen when her eyes crinkled as she laughed. That wasn't all Sally was good for. She was intelligent. Very, very intelligent. She was perceptive and helpful. She knew when and how to help people. And that's what made her fit to rule the country. Athena found Sally to be proper and helped the young girl at every possible chance. The Goddess hoped that Sally would pick a man who was intelligent; a man kind, smart, and wise. The one meant to rule by her side. But when Sally's advisors told her that it was time to start looking for a King, the Queen's choice was far from Athena's approval. Very, very far.

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 **I hope this chapter lived up to its standards. I know it was short, but the next chapter will make up for it. It's going to be a backstory on Sally, Poseidon, and Percy because Sally plays a large role in this story and some information about her past may explain the way she acts at times. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'll see you soon!**

 **Love,**

 **AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter**


	3. Chapter 3

**So it's been a while hasn't it? This story was supposed to be up on Percy's birthday, but my computer wouldn't let me open any files or applications. I was finally able to fix it and managed to save all my files so I could get this up as soon as possible. I spent a while writing this chapter and really hope you guys enjoy it. You could say it's a prequel to the actual story. We'll get back on track with the real thing next chapter, but I felt that this would be an appropriate chapter for Percy's birthday. Anyway, Enjoy!**

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 **Chapter 3**

 _"Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in the universe."_

 _-_ L. Ron Hubbard

 _Poseidon noticed the girl, fresh out of her teenage years. She was beautiful and cheerful. She strolled the streets of Corinth happily, taking in everything around her. He could tell that she was very observant. She had a keen eye for strange eyes around her. It was almost as if she had "The Sight" (the ability to see through the mortal world and into the Gods' world). But that was impossible. Only royalty carried that gift. There was only one person in the entire Earth who wasn't a Royal and had "The Sight". And that was the Oracle of Delphi. Which could only mean one thing. This woman was the Queen of Corinth. The girl he was going down to see for the first time that very day._

 _If a Royal was placed on the throne before the age of 23, only his/her Senior Advisor met with their city's patron. The Queen had turned 23 three days prior and was due for a meeting with her City's patron, Lord Poseidon._

 _Sally couldn't wait for her meeting with Poseidon. She had always wanted to meet a God! She'd been counting down to the day for months. And when it finally arrived, she could barely hold in her excitement. She ran around the palace, helping the servants clean up and pointing out designs to the seamstress who was nearly done with her dress. She quickly got ready after trying on her maybe too elegant dress for the occasion. She made her way down to the Sanctuary where all meetings took place. She sat there for several hours before the temperature in the room went up about a 100 degrees. A bright light filled the hall and Sally turned around to avoid being incinerated. When the light died down, Sally turned back around and her jaw dropped. The God in front of her was so…_ godly. _There was no other way to describe his chiseled features. His messy black hair, his defined cheekbones, the killer jawline, and his eyes. Oh, those eyes. The mesmerizing pools of sea green. She could spent days, weeks, even months drowning in his eyes._

 _"Queen Sally Jackson, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. I've been looking forward to meeting the new leader of the kingdom."_

 _"Uh… hello, My Lord." Sally mentally yelled at herself for not being able to formulate proper sentences. An amazing first impression that would be._

 _"Well, what plans do you have for Corinth? How will you help it thrive?"_

 _"I- um- I hope to, uh, form a connection with my subjects. Though I will be sitting on the throne, it's not my city. It's the city of the people. I-uh- want to- um- be an open ear for all their concerns and constraints. I want to help them," Sally said, getting more confident as she spoke. "I will not rule this city as the Queen, but as the mother, sister, daughter, and/or friend of all its residents. I will be accessible at all times in case of any emergency. I won't allow anyone to do the dirty work for me. I made a promise when I was coronated. I will protect this kingdom and its people with my own two hands."_

 _Poseidon listened to her speech with awe. He never expected the Queen to be so strong and powerful. He thought she'd be a dainty little girl who would just pose as Queen while her ministers did all the work. But he was wrong. Her passion was easy to see. This girl meant business. And that's what Poseidon loved._

 _"That's a wonderful plan, my Queen."_

 _"Oh, thank you. I want to make Corinth a better place. And maybe expand my reach."_

 _Poseidon nodded in approval, "You know, Sally- If I may call you that- you're looking very beautiful today."_

 _And there went all the confidence. It collapsed into a pile of ash and dust._

 _"Me? I-I… uh… thank you?!" She replied, staring intently at the ground._

 _Poseidon chuckled and turned away to speak to one of the ministers._

 _In the meanwhile, Sally looked over the God yet again. She couldn't comprehend his good looks. She'd met Zeus once before in an emergency situation and he was nothing. Absolutely nothing in comparison to his older brother. Both in looks and in manners._

 _Poseidon once again directed his gaze to Sally._

 _"I would like to speak to you alone, My Queen. I've received permission from your advisors," he said, giving a sharp look in the ministers' direction. They quickly scurried away, scared of incurring the God's wrath._

 _"Sally. Sally Jackson. You will make a wonderful Queen. I pulled you aside to speak to you about a blessing. Ask for anything you wish and you shall receive it. Well, not anything. Even us Gods have our limits. Ask for anything within my reach."_

 _Sally's surprise didn't come as a shock to Poseidon. She was a very humble girl. "Oh, Lord Poseidon, I have everything I could ever wish for. There is no need to present me with any further gifts."_

 _"Oh, but I certainly wish to do so. It does not have to be a material object of any kind. What is the one thing that you have yearned for your entire life?"_

 _"There is nothing that I could possibly want, My Lord. But thank you for your kindness."_

 _"You are very modest dear. Whenever you ever need me or my help, I'll be there. May you reign with kindness and fairness and be loved by all your subjects. Good luck, Queen Sally. I will now take leave of you."_

 _Poseidon nodded a farewell to Sally's advisors and flashed out of the group. Sally took a breath and collapsed onto the sofa behind her. "Oh thanks the Gods that went well. I was scared out of my mind."_

 _Just a few years later_

 _"Queen Sally, the ministers and I have discussed and we have decided that it is the right time for you to start looking for a King," Sally's most trusted advisor said, bowing to his Queen._

 _"And why is that so Minister?" Sally replied, knowing the direction in which the conversation was headed._

 _"We- uh… well, we want you to have secured an heir to the throne in case of any possible threats to you or your life, my queen."_

 _"Well, in that case, I want to marry Lord Poseidon," declared Sally, hiding her smirk._

 _The minister, unaware of Sally's actual plan, was taken aback. "B-but, milady, how? With all due respect, that cannot be done. Lord Poseidon owes his allegiance to Lady Amphitrite. Even if he were to love you were much, he could not stay for more than a year."_

 _"Oh, I am but merely teasing you, sir. I would really prefer to not get married until I am respected more than I currently am. At this point, if I marry, my potential husband will take control and run the city, and I would absolutely dislike that. I am just beginning to come into play as the Queen. My people are very traditional and are confused by the thought of a female ruler. I hope to overcome that confusion and get to know my people before I find myself a partner. If it's an heir that you are concerned about, I can take care of that. I'm not going to involve myself with a God like the rulers of neighboring kingdoms. King Frederick of Athens got a baby delivered to his doorstep, King Tristan of Sparta had to have his memory erased, and parts of Lemnos were burnt down because of Queen Esperanza and Hephaestus. I'd rather not meet with unfortunate circumstances. Lord Poseidon promised assistance if I ever needed it. I will give him some DNA and he will definitely be able to create a child with his powers. I shall speak to him and see that a child is borne to me."_

 _The minister was rendered speechless, and simply nodded before rushing off to share the news with the others._

 _Sally knew that the truth had to come out some way or another, but she was glad that she didn't have to say it quite yet. She had been seeing Poseidon for several months and had been blessed with a child. She was due in 7 months and was overjoyed. But she decided that she would not marry until her child was old enough to understand everything. She would raise this child on her own, with all the love he or she deserved. Her child would respect their father and never see him in a bad light. Not that he wanted to leave them, but that he had to. It was decided. There was an heir to Corinth, and the kingdom would prosper._

 ** _7 months later_**

 _On August 18, Queen Sally Jackson of Corinth gave birth to a healthy baby boy, named Perseus Jackson. The kingdom of Corinth celebrated for weeks together on end for their future king was the son of a strong, brave queen and Lord Poseidon himself. And every night for the next 10 years, Sally would tell her son the story of his father who sat in Mount Olympus and watched over them constantly._

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 **Hope you all liked that! Be sure to review, favorite, and follow!**

 **Love,**

 **AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! Happy Thanksgiving! There are so many things running through my head right now, but I'll let you read before I talk. However, there is one thing I want to say. I'm sorry, but updates will not be very frequent. As you can see, I don't have much time on my hands right now. And with final exams and such coming up, writing will be difficult.**

 **Well, enjoy!**

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 **Chapter 4**

 _"'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."_

 ** _-Lord Alfred Tennyson_**

Frederick stiffened as Athena turned around to face him. Even in mortal form, she was intimidating, just as he remembered her to be. She was a beautiful entity, but why wouldn't she be? She was a goddess, one who was wise beyond years of any immortal. He recalled memories of her before he found out she was a goddess. The days and nights spent praying to Aphrodite for this woman. One who had captured his heart, breath, mind, and soul. If only he had known who she was. If only he hadn't instantly fallen in love with her. If only he had allowed himself a minute to think about what the hell he was doing and who the woman who stood before him really was.

Frederick was unwilling dragged out of his daydream when Athena slowly walked towards him and took a seat behind his desk.

"We have some business to deal with, Frederick. I would recommend stepping out of the past and taking a seat so we can discuss."

'Gods damn it,' Frederick cursed in his mind. It really was inconvenient being involved with a God.

"Yes. Milady," he replied, almost mechanically.

Athena gave him one more sharp look and began, "I am going to get right to the point. We have not spoken in many a year. I have left you and Helen alone to take care of my daughter and your sons. However, my daughter has been praying very often for me to visit her. She has never seen me before and says she has to discuss some important matters with me. She has never, not even once asked me to show myself to her. I always believed she would be taken care of well in this house, given the respect she deserves, but after her prayers started becoming more frequent, I started to keep a closer eye on this family. And what I saw was not pleasing. I don't love easily Frederick. And when I do, I make sure the humans I care for are taken care of. My children mean the world and more to me. And I have always put them in good hands."

Athena's figure drooped in a way completely unfit for a goddess.

"Until now. One would think that the goddess of wisdom should be able to somewhat foresee a situation. I have failed myself and my legacy. From this moment on, NO ONE shall harm my daughter, and if YOU, if you do anything to hurt her in any way, YOU will FACE MY WRATH. There is no excuse for the way you have treated my daughter, your daughter. She is not a slave, and she WILL be the heir to your throne. And if your wife, if she ever lays another hand on Annabeth, she will NEVER see the light of day again!"

Athena rose higher and higher with every word. She glowed brighter and brighter with every enunciated syllable. Frederick sat in shock, replaying every word of her powerful speech. His mind reliving it over and over.

Slowly, the goddess regained her mortal form. She sat on the chair and looked at Frederick as if nothing had happened.

"Well, do you have anything to say?"

Frederick looked up, in a state of confusion. He just stared for about 5 minutes before he could muster up the courage to say anything, "I-I-I…" He stopped and just shook his head.

Athena nodded, "Well, before I leave, I have a couple more things to take care of." She walked out of the door to find her daughter. To speak to her. For the first time.

-Ω-

Annabeth sat in her room, thinking about what her father had said. She would have to go to Corinth. She would be married off to some duke or someone 10 to 15 years older than her. Someone with somewhat good relations to the Queen. Someone who would probably just look at her property. Though she hated the idea of it, she knew she would be able to fight her way out of it. She had been since her father had married Helen. If only she could speak to her mother. Annabeth knew it was unrealistic. Her mother was a goddess. An Olympian. She didn't have time to come down to Earth and speak with her mortal children.

Annabeth was yanked out of her thoughts by a knock on her door. 'Probably Piper,' she thought. Piper McLean was the daughter of her father's chief minister. She was the daughter of Aphrodite, but that didn't keep her from being a normal girl. Piper was the only friend Annabeth had. Minister Tristan was a better father to Annabeth than Frederick had ever been. The girls were practically sisters and they helped each other through everything.

"Come in," Annabeth said.

The door slowly opened to reveal Piper. She walked in and took a seat on the edge of Annabeth's bed.

"Annabeth. There's… there's someone here to see you. I'm not sure how you're going to take this. I'll bring her in."

Annabeth sat in confusion. She wasn't quite sure who would visit her. More than half of the kingdom didn't know who she was. And even those who knew had started to forget her. To them, the king only had two children. Prince Matthew and Prince Robert.

Annabeth heard footsteps and sat up straight. She slowly looked up to see a gorgeous woman. She wore flowing robes and had a small pin in her hair with the image of _Aegis,_ Athena's shield. It was her mother. Goddess Athena. The goddess of wisdom and battle. Standing in front of her, smiling.

"M-mother?!" Annabeth stuttered.

"Yes Annabeth. I know I have neglected you all these years. I had always believed that Frederick would take care of you. I had focused my attention on other matters. Then I heard your prayers, the same thing over and over again. I started to watch over this kingdom and saw what you were being subjected to. I was infuriated. I had been planning on speaking to your father about some matters related to the kingdom, but I instead began discussing you. I was not happy with the plans he had for you. I had told him to patch up relations between Corinth and Athens, but I was not aware of what he had wanted to do. Your instincts were right Annabeth. He was going to do exactly what you though he would."

"H-he was? I was hoping I was wrong. So, I'm going to be married off to some duke in Corinth?"

"That was his initial plan, but it isn't anymore. This is my kingdom, and Matthew will not be the heir. You are. You are the heir to Athens. I will not have the son of some abusive woman be the ruler of this kingdom. It will be you. My daughter."

"Me? I am honored mother."

Athena's smile slightly faded, "There is one more thing though."

Annabeth looked concerned, "What would that be?"

"You will still be the one fixing relations with Corinth?

Annabeth drooped, "How?"

"Through marriage. You will be marrying the son of Queen Sally Jackson and Lord Poseidon. The Prince of Corinth."

"I- WHAT?"

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 **I hope you enjoyed that chapter! I'm gonna talk for a while, so stick around if you wish to!**

 **1\. I want to thank all of my followers, reviewers, and of course readers of The Hestia Awards. That story means a lot to me and the support I received was amazing.**

 **2\. I know that my updates are scarce, but I will try and get some more writing done during this week and during Winter Break.**

 **3\. Be sure to check out my story _Over the Years,_ and let me know what you think.**

 **Thank you all!**

 **Love**

 **-AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey Guys! I can't believe that it's almost been a year since I first published this story, and it's made me realize that I am really bad at updating. I'll try and do my best to update more frequently, but I can't promise when. I'll stop talking now. Enjoy chapter 5!**

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 **Chapter 5**

 _"Love, slow and gradual in its growth, is too much like friendship to be a violent passion."_

 _**-Jean de la Bruyere**_

"M-mother? I-I'm but twenty-one years old. How am I to marry and fix relations at this young an age?" Annabeth asked, panic coursing through her veins, heart heavy and beating faster than ever before.

"I'm sorry Annabeth, but there's no other choice. You said you had an idea of what your father was to have you do, didn't you? Would that not have been worse?" Athena replied, letting more love slip into her voice than the last millennia put together.

"Well, I wasn't 100% sure what he wanted me to do, but I thought he would ship me off to marry a noble man or something, but definitely not so soon. So, I figure this is better, but I didn't expect anything in the likes of this. How can I get married so early?!"

"Annabeth, sweet, innocent daughter, your father was about to do worse than send you out to marry a nobleman. Much worse. He was going to hand you over to Queen Sally as a chambermaid. I know you love your father Annabeth, but he's a cruel man. It's all my fault. If I had noticed earlier, then I could have taken you to a place where you would have been loved. That step-mother of yours is a real evil to this kingdom," Athena said, blood boiling at the thought of Frederick's wife.

"H-he was going to sell me? As a chambermaid? I knew that he didn't want me when you left me here, but he despises me that much? My own father? If I am that dislikable that own father was to sell me as a slave, I will never be accepted in our rival kingdom! How will this fix anything mother?" Annabeth asked, shocked.

"Do not worry, Annabeth. Queen Sally is the kindest woman to have ever walked on this earth. She will treat you better than anyone here has ever treated you. You will be in good hands. I must take my leave now, but remember, no matter where you go, I will be with you. Not just in your heart, but in your head. I will see you at your wedding darling."

Annabeth nodded goodbye to her mother as Athena left. Annabeth fell back on her bed in shock. In a matter of 5-minutes, her entire world had been flipped upside down and inside out. She didn't what to think or who to tell or what to do. She got up and began to pace the floor when she found a note from her mother lying on her nightstand. She picked up the letter and began to read,

 ** _Annabeth,_**

 ** _I forgot to mention this when I left. Paul (Sally's husband) will come to pick you up in two days. You've till then to do several things to prepare._**

 ** _1\. Pack your belongings. Take everything you own with you to Corinth. Not a single item shall be left behind._**

 ** _2\. Say a proper goodbye to your brothers. Their mother may be something of a witch, but they love you and look up to you. Don't leave without letting them know that you'll be okay._**

 ** _3\. Take the 500 Drachma I've attached and buy some new dresses. Ones that look noble and make you look even more beautiful than you already do._**

 ** _4\. Speak to that father of yours and be sure to let him have it. I may be the goddess of intelligence and wisdom, but I think it's best if he knows your true feelings. Don't be harsh or rude. Be compassionate and filled with shock. He must feel guilty. And so must Helen._**

 ** _Love,_**

 ** _Athena_**

Annabeth read the letter and began to pack her belongings at once. She was eager to leave Athens, the place that had left her with a neglected childhood and held scarring memories. Plus, she had some business to take care of…

-#-

Prince Matthew sat at his desk, reviewing some paperwork for his father. He tried repeatedly to focus his attention on the stacks of documents in front of him, but he just couldn't. He'd spent the last month worrying about his half-sister. His father had told him his plans for her. Matthew had told Robert and both of them spent some time figuring how to get her out of such a punishment. They prayed day in and day out to Lady Athena to help her daughter. The boys knew that Frederick had a meeting with the goddess, but they weren't really sure of the reason. Matthew hoped for the best. He was aware of his mother's hatred of Annabeth and knew that she wanted the latter out of the palace and onto the streets.

Matthew wasn't given time to think any further. His personal servant announced the arrival of a guest. The prince welcomed the veiled woman in. He gestured for her to take a seat and called his brother in at the woman's request. As he sat down across from the mysterious figure, she unveiled herself. The princes were taken aback by the image of their sister in the seat opposite them. Annabeth let her appearance sink in before she began to speak.

"Matthew, Robert, I know this may come as a bit of a shock, but I must speak to you both. I understand that I am forbidden in the royal courts unless I am summoned, but this is a slight emergency and I must discuss some matters with you boys immediately. If you feel uncomfortable speaking here, we can go elsewhere." Annabeth said, eagerly awaiting a response.

"Oh, it's not a hassle. We can speak here, dear sister. Now what are the matters at hand?" Matthew responded, trying to cover for his shock.

"I've quite a long story, so I hope you boys have some time," the boys nodded for her to continue. "As you know, I've spent a large majority of my life isolated from my father. And I've always blamed you boys for that. I always believed that your birth caused my father's hatred of me. But after many, many years I've realized that you've had no correlation to it whatsoever. You are both wonderful young men and will be great rulers of the kingdom. You are both also aware that I am now heir to the throne, but I will not disregard the fact that you both have been raised as kings. You will be the honorary heirs to the throne, and also my main advisors. And you will be in charge of many affairs. Of course, this is all if your mother doesn't get in the way. Well now that I got that taken care of, I want to thank you both for all you've done. Your parents are not the kindest of people, but you two managed to get the sliver of good that's somewhere in them. So, thank you. I'm leaving tomorrow, and I regret not being the sister that I should have been. I'm so sorry boys."

Annabeth realized she was rambling and motioned for the boys to talk.

"Annabeth, thank you for coming down to see us. We love you. Never forget that. Whatever you may face out in Corinth, just know that you'll always have a home here. Our parents may not be the most welcoming, but Robert and I are here for you. We will be at your side no matter the situation." Matthew responded, his voice full of love and respect for his sister.

"Don't worry. We might be young, but we know that you can take care of yourself. You have the willpower and capability to do anything. We love you Annabeth," said Robert, breaking his silence.

Annabeth thanked her brothers, hugged them and took leave, but not before veiling herself to avoid being caught.

-#-

Annabeth left her brother's room slowly and stealthily. Her mind was rushing all over the place. She felt dizzy just thinking about the next few days. Her imagination soared. She wondered what it would be like to be free and to be a real princess. Not one only in name.

Annabeth was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she accidentally bumped into something. She looked back up at the woman in front of her and realized that it was her step-mother. Annabeth bowed down reluctantly and apologized. As she tried to scurry off, Helen stopped her and made her sit down with her.

As long as they had lived together, Helen and Annabeth had avoided any contact, whether it be verbal or physical, all together. They had never even maintained eye contact. The women shared a hatred for one another and refused to communicate more than absolutely necessary. Annabeth felt that Helen had robbed her of her father, her kingdom, and her happiness, while Helen was overcome with jealousy for the fact that Annabeth was the child of her husband and _a goddess._ The fact that Helen didn't just sneer at her and walk away came as a shock to Annabeth, who had never received more than that from the aforementioned woman.

Helen's quivering voice pulled Annabeth out of her thoughts, "Annabeth. I-I have something to speak to you about." Said Helen, trying not to let any emotion into her voice whatsoever.

"Go on," Annabeth motioned, hoping that her stepmother would finally show her some love.

"I'm sure that your mother has already spoken to you, correct?" Helen asked, cautiously and slowly.

Annabeth nodded in response, no longer knowing the direction in which the conversation was headed.

"W-well, she spoke to the King and I before going up to your room. She managed to convince Frederick to not send you as a chambermaid, but rather as a bride to the prince. However, you will not be heir to the throne. My son Matthew will be. Athena tried, but she couldn't do that. After all, a woman cannot be heir. A woman doesn't deserve that power." Helen stated, gaining more and more confidence as she spoke.

Annabeth simply nodded and bowed down to her stepmother, but calm face displayed the opposite of what was running through her mind.

Helen saw the expression on her step-daughter's face and smiled smugly. What Helen didn't know was that Annabeth was not going to sit still and endure the bashing she received. She was not going to be powerless and shy. In fact, Annabeth would be the voice of power for many years to come. And if Helen had known that, then she would have avoided many forms of shame, she would have kept hold of her dignity, and she would have kept her kingdom.

* * *

 **Hope you all liked that chapter! I've a few things to address, so stay around for some info.**

 **1\. I know I said I'd post a Christmas story, but writer's block kept getting in the way. I keep having more and more ideas about this story, and have trouble focusing on others. So, for now, I'm just going to keep working on this one.**

 **2\. I know that this story has been Annabeth-centric for a very long time, but I promise I'll do some Percy chapters in the near future. The next one is going to be Annabeth because there's some interesting conversations coming up, but I'll try and make the one after that about Percy.**

 **3\. I'm going to be picking and answering some questions about the story from some of you, so if I see some interesting questions, I'll be sure to answer them. Just leave a review and you can find out more on what's to come. And I'll PM you the answer if you want so that you don't have to wait for the next chapter.**

 **4\. Be sure to check out my story _Over the Years. I posted it about a year and a half ago, but I took it down because my main focus was The Hestia Awards,_ but I reposted the intro chapter so y'all can see if you like it or not. Let me know if it's worth continuing.**

 **Other than that, I hope you all have a great 2017 and hope you had a great holiday break. I'll see you all soon.**

 **Thank you!**

 **Love,**

 **-AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys! I cannot believe that we hit 37 followers so quickly. I know that I've been horrible at updating, but I think I've started to get a slight bit better. Maybe it's because the story is actually starting to flow? I don't know why, but I'm so happy that I have all your support. Thank you! See the bottom for my extended author's note.**

 **PoppyOhare: Here ya go!**

 **Guest: Thank you for your kind words. A lot of time and hardwork went into writing this, and I'm glad that I have your appreciation.**

 **Sally Stevens: I'm aware that I'm rubbish at updating, but I'm trying to get better at it :). Thank you for taking the time to review and leave some feedback. I know that my chapter are generally short, but I purposely try and keep them from 1000-2000 words. I don't like going over that limit because at that rate, I'll only be updating every three months.**

 **I'm done now, so Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

 ** _"_** _Don't waste words on people who deserve your silence. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can say is nothing at all."_

-Mandy Hale

Annabeth simply nodded at Helen's demeaning remarks. She knew that if she even tried to talk back to her step-mother, she would end up causing unnecessary trouble. Annabeth decided from then on that she would always be the better person in any situation. She was going to take the high road.

"Thank you. I will be off now. I'm going to marry the Prince of Corinth soon, and I will be out of your way," Annabeth said, passive-aggressively. So maybe the high road would be a little harder than she thought.

Helen smirked, nodded, and walked left. Annabeth started to move in the direction of her room before realizing that she had to speak to her father. The princess was overcome with fear, but decided that she would have to be brave and face her fears to ever make a difference in the world. She forced herself to turn around and talk to her father. She wouldn't let him off the hook that easily. She may live in a patriarchal society, but that wouldn't stop her from reaching her full potential. And her father couldn't either.

Annabeth continued down the many corridors until she arrived at her father's office. She motioned for the servant who stood outside the door to alert her father of her visit. Annabeth could hear yelling before the servant reappeared and made way for the princess to enter. Annabeth took a deep breath and walked directly into the room, head held high.

"Father, I have come to discuss important matters with you, and I ask of your attention," Annabeth stated boldly, trying not to show her anxiety.

Frederick looked up from his scripts and gave his daughter a strange look. He gestured for her to take a seat in one of the chairs behind him and turned to face her. Annabeth slowly lowered herself into the chair and started to speak.

"You married Helen when I was seven years old. In the last fourteen years, I went from being the heir to the throne, your precious daughter, to the equivalent of an unrelated servant. Hades, even the servants are allowed into your 'family' chambers. Yet, I, your first and only daughter, have been silenced. And I will not stand for it anymore. I am not here to complain or cry about being treated poorly. I'm here to have a rational discussion. And I want answers. I've noticed things. I'm an observer. And an observer never lets single thing out of her sight, so please, I sit here in front of you today not as your daughter, but as an equal. And I demand that I get answers."

-Ω-

Prince Perseus paced the floor of his room, confused and shocked. He had just found out that he was going to marry Princess Annabeth of Athens, the daughter of King Frederick. He had heard stories of the girl. She was the hidden princess, the one that no one had ever seen or spoken of for the last 14 years. The last public glimpse of her was at age seven at King Frederick's wedding. She was his daughter from a previous relationship, they said. Her mother was one of divine nature and strength. Percy suspected that the mother of the princess was a goddess. Most likely Aphrodite or Demeter. The other goddesses didn't visit mortals as often.

He spent the next hour speculating about his bride-to-be. Would she be interesting? Entertaining? Good-looking? Would she be smart, or just a flirt like every other girl who had ever contested for his hand? Questions flooded into his brain and he became so overwhelmed by thought that he fell backwards into bed and decided to take a nap.

Queen Sally silently slipped into her son's room and sat beside his bed. She watched as he peacefully slept and wondered how he'd grown up so fast. She remembered when he was born, not too long after she had been crowned Queen. He would be 21 in less than two days. And his wedding would take place in less than a week. Sally knew that it was less than ideal for both Annabeth and Percy, both very young children. Full of potential. But it was the only option. If this agreement had not been made, there would've been war. Not just in the mortal realm, but also up on Olympus as Athena and Poseidon stood fighting for another millennium.

Sally knew what it was like to be forced into power and responsibility at a young age. She became the crown princess at a mere fifteen. She was crowned Queen at 21, and had Percy at 22. She had to grow up fast, and she didn't want her son to go through the same thing. But she was left with no choice. She just hoped with all her heart that Annabeth was a good woman. She was aware of the fact that Athena was Annabeth's mother, but she kept it from Percy. She didn't want to put too much weight on his shoulders. He had enough, and it was unnecessary to place him under pressure to live up to a daughter of Athena.

Percy began to wake up and motioned for Sally to stay as she rose.

"Mom?"

"Yes, Percy?"

"Do you know anything about Princess Annabeth? Is she nice? Is she loving?" Percy asked, in desperate want of answers.

Sally hesitated before she began to speak, "Annabeth has faced several hardships from her family in Athens. I cannot be sure of her past, motivations, and temperament. What I do know is that she is different from any other girl we've met. Your father told me of her uniqueness and individuality. You'll have to wait and see, Percy. I know that this is short notice, but you know what's on the line her. Thank you for understanding."

Percy nodded at his mother, but couldn't help but feel strange. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong.

-Ω-

Annabeth returned to her room after speaking with her father. She'd let out many of the emotions that she had held in for the past fourteen years. Her father apologized, and even though she could hear the insincerity in his tone, she appreciated the fact that he actually listened to her. After letting out over a decade's worth of pent up feelings, Annabeth had asked her father about Prince Perseus, her fiancé. She didn't know much about him except for the fact that he was the son of a god, similar to her, and that he was heir to the throne of Corinth.

Her father explained to her that the prince was one month younger than her and was to turn twenty-one in less than two days. He also informed her that Queen Sally was a fairly kind woman. Annabeth was made aware of the fact that the wedding would take place within a week and that she would not see Perseus until their wedding day.

The sense of mystery surrounding her alliance with Corinth seemed to interest Annabeth. She started to wonder if there was something that was being hidden from her. But she pushed the thoughts away and focused on her betrothed. Would he be kind? Or would he be arrogant and crude? Good-looking? Would she be able to hold a conversation with him? The thoughts occupied her mind for a few solid hours before she was brought dinner. Her chambermaid (and close friend) stayed back for a while, discussing the prospects of her wedding and her groom.

Annabeth absentmindedly nodded and agreed with the girl, but she just couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong.

-Ω-

While Annabeth and Percy sat worrying about their futures, Olympus was in celebration. The biggest rivalry of the millennia was taken care of. They would no longer have to listen to nonstop bickering between Athena and Poseidon.

The gods ran loose, major, minor, and everything in between. Music played in the background, and the Muses performed. But in a corner of the throne room, looking down at the mortal world, sat Athena and Poseidon, whispering so no one could hear.

"They look miserable. They're moping. I've never seen Percy mope before this," Poseidon said, evidently worried.

Athena nodded, "They don't look the happiest, but this was the only way to solve the conflict. Annabeth was being objected to verbal abuse on a daily basis. We couldn't have possibly forced her to survive in such an environment for any longer."

Poseidon agreed, but still wasn't satisfied. Yes, the animosity between him and Athena had been healed, but it had been at the expense of his son's happiness, and he wasn't sure that was a necessary price to pay.

"We've never been involved in our mortal children's lives. They feel as if we don't care. And this may only encourage that feeling. Did we truly do the right thing, Athena?"

Athena and Poseidon shared a look and gazed at their unhappy children, waiting for their impending wedding.

"There's no way to tell, Poseidon. But there's hope. There always will be."

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed that!**

 **I realize that Annabeth has been slightly out of character for a while, but I needed her to be like that to progress the story. From now on, you'll see more of the Annabeth that we know and love.**

 **Percy has arrived yet again! I stayed true to their age difference, because I personally hate it when people make her a year younger than him for the sake of the man being older, but I think Rick Riordan made the right call in making her older.**

 **So this story isn't going to be only a romance. It's going to have some real world elements to it. Annabeth stands for power, equality, and courage. She's a symbol of hope and is there for the reason that she is a powerful woman. Until now, I've tried to stay true to history, but that may not stay that way for much longer. Of course, I'm not gonna send technology like ours back to thousands of years ago, but I will advance some other things. Either way, please understand that historical accuracy isn't the purpose of this story.**

 **I'm sorry for the late updates. Debate and school are quite the overwhelming power, so I try to balance my time, but it doesn't always work in my favor.**

 **Thanks for bearing with my crazy long author's note!**

 **Love,**

 **-AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey Guys! Can you believe that I updated in just a week? I can't either! Anyway, this chapter isn't all that long. I wanted to introduce this part before the story progressed too much, because it might be important to the storyline *cough*hint*cough*.**

 **Warning: This chapter is very slightly gruesome. Not incredibly, but it has some blood and stuff. If you're squeamish, I recommend skipping over the second section in italics. Once again, it's not that bad, but I just wanted to let you know!**

 **WiseGirlGeek:** Thank you for taking the time to go through each and every one of my stories and commenting!

 **Percabeth824:** Thank you! Hope this story will be something of interest to you.

 **Guest:** That's exactly what I'm going for. I want this story to be inspirational, but also powerful.

 **Sally Stevens:** Though I love your predictions, I don't recommend getting ahead of yourself. Don't worry, it'll be a couple of chapter before Annabeth and Percy get married. There's plenty that could happen in that time. Oh, and nobody said they hadn't met before, had they? And of course, I would never cut out the Sally and Percy moments. Granted, there will be some Annabeth in the mix, but no one can get in the way of the mother and son bond that exists there.

 **I'm done boring you all to death! Enjoy Chapter 7!**

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

 _"The subconscious mind is ruled by suggestion, it accepts all suggestions- it does not argue with you – it fulfills every wish."_

-Dr. Joseph Murphy

Percy had dreams. He didn't know what they were or why they kept coming back, but regardless of what he thought, they returned every night. He remembered his mother telling him when he was younger that dreams are just your heart reaching out to you. Percy didn't agree with Sally's concept 100%. He felt that he had a psychological issue. It wasn't that he couldn't get help. He was the crown prince. Every doctor, psychologist, therapist, and astronomer wanted to help him. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to do it.

It wasn't as if the dreams were repetitive. Some of them were. Others were strange and quite infrequent. Sally was the only one who knew of these dreams. Not even Paul. She had warned Percy that because he was the son of a god, he would receive messages from his father through his dreams. She told him that though the visions may be cryptic, every one of them had a pinch of reality in them.

Percy still couldn't get his head over it. Every night they got worse. Some were about losing his mother. Others were about his own death. Yet, the strangest of them all was about a war. One filled with screaming, crying, and death. It pained him so much just to think of it. The civilians lost, the torture that it put him through was inexplicable. It was so painstakingly horrible that he didn't want to sleep. He didn't know when it would hit, but he dreaded its arrival.

That night, when he went to bed, he forgot about the dream. He had been so focused on his wedding that his nightmares were something that he pushed aside. He knew close to nothing about his bride. Her name was Annabeth. She was the daughter of Athena; his mother had told him. He knew that they had met once, but that was nearly 16 years prior. He barely remembered the girl.

 _Their meeting was normal. After all, they were children. Frederick and Sally had been called in for a meeting with Athena and Poseidon, so the kids had been left together. They played and had laughed with one another. It had been short, but Percy had wanted to stay longer. Sally had pulled him out of the palace, her face grim. She smiled when Percy said that he liked his new friend, but her smile never reached her eyes._

Never did he think that he would have to marry like this. He thought he could've waited till he was a little older. His wife would've been a woman that he loved and cherished. One that he had chosen and had spent time with. Not a woman that he'd met once when they were 5 and never heard from or heard of again. Percy slowly drifted asleep, feeling an ounce of self-pity, but an even bigger amount of duty.

-Ω-

 _"Help! Someone, please! Help me! My child, my beautiful daughter. She's dying!" A woman screamed, holding a young girl in her arms. The girl, presumably her daughter, had an arrow through her thigh. Blood gushed out of the child as her breathing started to slow._

 _The mother wailed in agony, her tears forming a puddle on the dry, earthen ground. Her daughter's condition heightened by the second. The girl breathed heavily, but slowly. She screamed in pain until her voice faded into nothingness. Her eyes fell shut, and her heart stopped pounding. Her breath dwindled before finally dying out. She couldn't have been a day older than fifteen. The mother's face froze. She looked down at the limp, lifeless form of her daughter. The mother wailed in agony, her tears forming a puddle on the dry, earthen ground. The sob she let out shook the earth and the heavens. The sound was agonizing. There would never be a pain as ground shaking as parent losing their child._

 _The sky was blue, and the sun was shining. The irony of the situation was too much to handle. The beautiful sky contrasted the terrible situation on the kingdom floors. Bodies lay strewn all over. The battlefield was drenched by the rain. And with blood._

 _Percy stood at a distance, paralyzed. He couldn't move. He wanted to run over and help the woman. He tried to run to the now-widow and help her through her grief. He saw the young boy, torn from his parents, the infant, now orphaned and left to die. He was the_ prince _! He could have done something. Anything at all! It was heart-wrenching to watch the miserable reality._

 _Out of the corner of his eye, Percy saw a girl who looked to be about his age. She had a sense of familiarity to her. She was quite beautiful. It took Percy a minute to realize that she was covered in blood. At her feet, there lay a dagger, glistening in the sunlight. Surrounding her were four men, each bigger than the next. Percy could tell that they'd been pierced through the heart. Quick, clean, and easy. The largest man still had a quiver strapped to his back, one lone arrow peeking out._

 _It didn't take long for Percy to make the connection. He killed the girl. That man had caused a mother insurmountable amounts of grief. How could someone be cruel enough to kill a mere child? Percy wished he'd had the chance to torture that man. Give him the painful, miserable death that he deserved. But the girl with the blonde curls had taken care of him._

 _He looked at her and gave her a small, sad smile, filled with grief and anger. It silently thanked her for killing the man, but also expressed the reality of the situation._

 _She nodded slowly, but her eyes rolled backwards and she fell to the ground, dead._

 _-_ Ω-

Percy woke in a cold sweat. 'It was just a dream,' he said to himself. 'It's not real. You're marrying Annabeth, there will be no war.' Yet no matter how hard he tried to convince himself, it just wouldn't work.

Percy quickly turned around as Sally rushed into the room. The Queen looked scared out of her mind. She let out a breath when she saw her son sitting up, wide awake, but she was still worried.

Percy relented the entire dream to his mother. She listened carefully taking in every word. The deaths, the panic, the girl. By the time he had finished the story, down to the last detail, Percy was breathing heavily, near tears. Sally withheld her confusion and comforted her son.

"I'm sorry, Percy. I'm glad you told me. Don't worry. It was just a dream. Everything will be okay honey." Sally said in a soft, soothing voice.

Percy visibly relaxed in his mom's arms. "Everything will be okay," he repeated.

After his mom left, Percy continued with his normal day and duties. But that night, before going to bed, he realized something. That girl. The one in his dream. That girl was Annabeth…

* * *

 **So yeah, that was a pretty short chapter. But I hope y'all liked it anyway. I really like writing sad scenes. It allows for more description and emotion.**

 **My computer doesn't want to work right now, so I'm having some trouble uploading, but I hope this thing gets uploaded by the end of the day. We'll see how that goes.**

 **If you guys have any questions, then feel free to ask. I might just answer them either in the story, or in an A/N.**

 **I don't have much else for you, so please review, favorite, and follow!**

 **Love,**

 **-AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter (One of these days, I'm gonna spell my name wrong and not even realize it)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey everyone! Sorry once again for the delayed update. There's a longer A/N down below with some important stuff, so check that out! Enjoy Chapter 8!**

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

 _"Time is the longest distance between two places"_

 _-Tennessee Williams_

Annabeth awoke at the sound of her chambermaid's calls. She was a very light sleeper, and the nerves concerning her impending marriage weren't helping her in anyway. She stretched in bed, dreading the upcoming meeting with her future husband. Yes, her marriage would allow her to leave this prison of a castle, but she was no more eager to marry a man she had met once when she was still a child. She rolled off of her mattress and slipped into her wardrobe to freshen up and get dressed. Upon entering, she noticed a beautiful, yet simple dress spread out on her dresser. It was an elegant shade of green that Piper knew to be her favorite. It was a long gown that would likely pool around her feet if not for the high, uncomfortable heels she would be forced into wearing. A thin strip of lace graced the waist of the dress and several gems (synthetic, of course) adorned the neckline.

After quickly lacing up her corset, Annabeth stepped into the dress and moved towards the stool awaiting by her mirror. She took a seat and allowed Piper to braid her hair tightly. Her face was then powdered and made up. Annabeth was aware of the fact that she was good-looking to some extent. It was something that was acknowledged by most of those who met her. However, being of a royal bloodline, she was required to be powdered, dusted, and painted. Sensing the princess' anxiety, Piper's face softened and she began to her mistress, her friend.

"Your highness-,"

She was immediately cut off by the princess, "Piper, how many times must I tell you. Call me Annabeth. We grew up together for the Gods' sake."

Piper nodded, used to the normal speech. "Okay, Ann- Annabeth. Either way, I want you to know that everything is going to work out. I've heard from numerous people that Prince Perseus is very handsome. He's supposedly one of the kindest men to ever roam the Earth. This marriage may not be of love, but make use of it as you may. Take the opportunity to see new lands, meet new people, make new friends. I will certainly miss you and your presence, but I'll manage. Do not be afraid of what is to come. The future is a horizon waiting to be explored."

Annabeth nodded and eased into the chair. Her tranquility didn't last long though. She spun around in her chair, turning to face Piper. "Wait. I have been meaning to discuss something important with you. I spoke to my father and he said that if I wish to do so, I can take you with me. You'd live in Corinth with me. You can do what you wish to do, and when your services are needed, you will be right alongside me, as my first-in-command."

Piper squealed, but quickly coughed to cover it up. "Of course, I would love to accompany you to Corinth. Is it okay with Queen Sally?"

Annabeth nodded and after a quick squeal from them both, they continued getting the princess ready for her meeting with Prince Perseus Jackson of Corinth.

-Ω-

Percy took a deep breath and jumped off his horse. He waved to the stable boy to take it away and slowly started walking up the steps of the palace. This was it. He was going to meet Annabeth after over a decade. He vaguely remembered her features, and his dream had helped him develop a clearer image of her over the last few days, but now, he was going to see her, speak to her. Meet her.

He slowly made his way up the large set of stairs in front of the palace. Every step was calculated. He focused every ounce of his attention to the patterned steps laying out in front of him. He didn't want to mess up. His kingdom depended on him. Every action was being surveilled. A single mistake, and every peace treaty would be gone. The King was said to be a very fickle man. One wrong move could bring everything crumbling down. And so, with the weight of the world on his shoulders, Percy climbed the last of the steps.

King Frederick waited for him atop the staircase. He opened his arms and embraced his soon-to-be son-in-law.

"Thank you, Sir. It is an honor to be able to make peace between the two of our kingdoms."

"Of course, Perseus. I have been trying to figure out a way to ease our relations without having to resort to weapons, and this arrangement seems to have done the job. It's only an added plus that I have one less mouth to feed," Frederick joked.

Percy chuckled politely, and curled his fists in order to prevent himself from punching the King. That would hardly help prevent a war, even if it meant stomaching a joke that may have hit too close to home.

A moment passed with palpable tension.

Percy then decided to break the silence. "Sir, if you do not mind, may I please speak to your daughter? I don't want us to meet for the first time in years after we are married."

The King nodded, "Well, that is to be expected. Give me a moment, I'll arrange a meeting."

Frederick called for a servant to fetch his daughter. While waiting for Annabeth's arrival, the men attempted small talk, discussing the weather and Percy's long journey. They tried to keep the conversation going, but it reached a point where the discussion was so meaningless that they both gave up. After several more minutes of awkward silence, a servant came up to Percy and gestured for him to follow.

The prince was led to a secluded room in the west wing of the castle. It was lavishly furnished with futons, couches, carpets, and intricate patterns carved into the wall. It was fairly small, but was an adequate size for a small group of people. Percy took a seat on one of the chairs and nodded as the servant bowed and walked off.

In a matter of seconds, a figure emerged from behind the doorway and took a seat across from Percy. She had a pale complexion and intense gray eyes. Her hair was pulled up into a tight updo, a single strand of blond curls fell to the side. Her gown was a beautiful shade of emerald green, a color that was very familiar to him. It was a shade that he saw every time he looked in the mirror.

The princess was beautiful, albeit that fact that she had a tight-lipped glare resting on her face. She waved the guard away and signaled for him to close the door behind himself. She then turned towards her betrothed.

"Prince Perseus, we meet again…"

* * *

 **Hope you liked that chapter. Sorry to leave y'all hanging like that (not really)**

 **A couple of important notices**

 **1\. There's a poll on my profile for my next Percabeth AU One shot. Make sure to check that out and vote. If you've any other ideas or requests, PM me and I'll add it to the poll.**

 **2\. My story** ** _Quirks_** **is going to be combined with the PJO Request One shots story, so be sure to check that out soon.**

 **3\. Review Replies:**

 **Percabeth824: Sorry about the long wait. I'm currently working on another fic and I kinda focused my energy towards that. I'll try for the longer chapters, but I spread them out accordingly, so I can't guarantee that they'll be longer than 2k words. Thak you so much for your time!**

 **Guest: I try! Thank you!**

 **Sally Stevens: The more you guess, the less likely it is to happen. Call me a bad writer, but large portions of my stories are improvised to fit new ideas that I have. So I recommend keeping the guesses on the down-low ;D. Thank you for steadily reviewing and responding to every chapter!**

 **That's all for today!**

 **Thank you all for your support!**

 **Love,**

 **-AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey everyone! Sorry for the delayed update. I was out of town and didn't have access to my files. Enjoy chapter 9!**

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

"Compromise is not about losing. It is about deciding that the other person has just as much of a right to be happy with the end result as you do."

-Donna Martini

 ** _Previously on_ Prejudiced Love…**

 _In a matter of seconds, a figure emerged from behind the doorway and took a seat across from Percy. She had a pale complexion and intense gray eyes. Her hair was pulled up into a tight updo, a single strand of blond curls fell to the side. Her gown was a beautiful shade of emerald green, a color that was very familiar to him. It was a shade that he saw every time he looked in the mirror._

 _The princess was beautiful, albeit that fact that she had a tight-lipped glare resting on her face. She waved the guard away and signaled for him to close the door behind himself. She then turned towards her betrothed._

 _"Prince Perseus, we meet again…"_

* * *

Annabeth walked into the elegantly decorated room, composing herself, and channeling false confidence. She pursed her lips, and strode to the seat across from the prince. She waved away the guard and signaled for him to close the door. She lowered herself into the couch and crossed her legs. Her folded hands were then placed in her lap, and her attention was directed towards the man in front of her.

He was handsome. Neatly combed black hair with a few strands sticking up, and a boyish persona. His eyes matched the color of her dress, swirling pools of green-blue. He was in his royal robes, a small wreath gracing his head, evidently placed there upon his arrival. The royal seal of Corinth decorated several pieces of parchment that he held, along with one sheaf that had the seal of Athens on it. Two quills and a jar of ink lay on the table in between the two young royals. Annabeth took a deep breath and looked back up at Perseus.

"Prince Perseus, we meet again…"

The prince, slightly taken aback by the hostility in the princess' voice, just blinked, dazed and distracted. He was brought back to reality as the princess began speaking again,

"If I may ask, is there any particular reason that you called for this private meeting when I would've met you later at the meeting with our godly parents?" she asked, voice softer, but not without a hint of sass and sarcasm.

"Well, my darling princess, I figured we had some matters to discuss rather privately," the prince responded with a lopsided.

Annabeth caught on to the light flirtatiousness coming from the prince and played along, "And what would those matters be, dear prince?"

"I feel obligated to get to know you before we are joined by marriage. Neither of us are partaking in this by choice, but if we are to be forced into it, we might as well make the most of it and become friends, if anything," he said, the seriousness from before returning to his voice.

Annabeth nodded, "I agree, we shouldn't just ignore one another and live our lives separately. We are the future King and Queen of the largest kingdoms in the country, and we must be synchronized in our manner of governance as well as in our lifestyles. I shall begin sharing some information pertaining to my life if you do not mind."

A nod of approval from Perseus set the princess off on her life story. She spoke of her lineage and past, leaving out large portions of her life in which her step-mother was involved. As she wrapped up, the prince began telling his story, he too leaving out portions about his mother's first husband, Duke Gabriel.

The connection to their pasts made them more open with each other and they were able to speak freely. Unfortunately, their good impressions of one another did not last long. Soon enough, talk of the wedding and the future came up.

"The wedding is to take place on the eve of my twenty second birthday. Which is in four days. The preparations have already begun. We will leave for Corinth two days past the wedding and will arrive a day later. What conditions do you have for settling in?" Annabeth asked, already kicking into her authoritative mode.

Percy, slightly flustered by the streamline of questions coming from his betrothed, took some time before recovering and answering her. "I.. uh- we… um- My mother has said that she would be glad to let you make any decisions you want. Any conditions you set will be adhered to and followed strictly."

Annabeth nodded, still trying to get a full overview of the Prince's personality. So far, he had come off as loyal, but slightly dimwitted. She wanted someone who could keep up with her intellectuality, but as a Princess, she would have to make sacrifices, this being one of them.

"Well if I am at the leisure to do as I please, I will gladly set some ground rules. We will be sleeping in two different chambers. We are not to have joint chambers until we both have given permission for it. I will also be bringing along my chambermaid and dear friend, Piper McLean. She will stay in the same chambers as I and will have a room within them. This is, of course, with the consent of your mother."

Percy agreed to the rules set by Annabeth, but not without a select few internal remarks about her personality. She was fairly dictatorial. She seemed too serious for Percy. But he would have to deal with it. This agreement was created for the good of their kingdoms, and he would go to any extent to keep it intact and avoid war.

The two spoke for some more time, discussing their plans for the future, for the people, for themselves. The longer they spent talking, the more they started to dislike one another. Percy was horrified by how uptight the princess was. She had a sort of superiority complex and was very intellectually obnoxious. Sure, she wasn't hard on the eyes, Hades, she was gorgeous. But she was a handful. Or several handfuls to deal with. Oh, this was not going to be easy.

Similarly, Annabeth harbored such feelings for the prince too. He was quite dense and difficult. Not only that, but the man couldn't go more than 5 minutes without mentioning the sea. Yes, his father was Poseidon, but this took familial pride a bit too far. And no, he wasn't particularly bad looking. She'd give him the points for good looks. But that couldn't make up for his childish personality. He was insufferable, to put it lightly. She'd only met him a couple hours ago, but she could already tell that this was going to be a long ride.

-Ω-

Olympus was in a state of chaos and confusion as wedding plans were being thrown around and together. In a corner of the throne room, Athena sat designing her new temple in Corinth and Poseidon's in Athens. As much as she hated the Lord of the Sea, she was glad that this effort was being made to mend their relations. Her daughter's sacrifice and sense of duty filled her with pride. She knew that Annabeth had the potential to be someone wonderful someday, and she would do anything to help, even if it meant designing and building a temple dedicated to her mortal enemy for over a millennium.

Poseidon was resting upon his throne, sketching out the new fountains that would be spread throughout the two kingdoms. He'd taken up the idea after Annabeth had prayed to him about the lack of clean water in the peasant villages, and how so many were dying of dehydration. He considered them a wedding gift to her and began working on them immediately. She seemed like a wonderful young woman and the God knew that she'd be a wonderful match for his son.

The other gods were spread around, working on their gifts for the couple, or pitching in to help with the wedding planning and/or decoration. But one goddess in particular had taken quite a liking to the two and was very invested in their future.

Aphrodite knew that she shouldn't be meddling in the love lives of mortals without their consent, but when everyone else had stuck their godly noses in the royals' business, it wouldn't hurt for her to help them a little, would it?

* * *

 **Hope y'all liked that! The next chapter will most likely have some Aphrodite meddling involved, so be on the look out for that.**

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 **Review, Favorite, Follow, Whatever works.**

 **Thanks!**

 **Love,**

 **-AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey everyone! I know it's been a really long time, but I hope I can make it up to you with a much longer chapter than usual. Check out the A/N below for a few quick announcements. Till then, Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

 **"The life given us by nature is short, but the memory of a life well spent is eternal."**

 **-Cicero**

Piper knocked on the door of Annabeth's chambers, and quietly let herself in when her calls were not answered. Slowly entering the room, she scanned the room for the soon-to-be Crown Princess of Corinth. She found the princess sitting in her desk in the far corner of the room, rapidly scribbling something down on a piece of parchment and muttering under her breath. Slightly concerned by Annabeth's nervous behavior, Piper approached the anxious princess.

"Annabeth, is everything alright? How was your meeting with Prince Perseus?"

Annabeth jumped back in her seat and let out a deep breath when she saw the familiar figure standing above her chair, "Piper, oh Gods, you scared the Hades out of me. The meeting was quite interesting, I'm not sure everything is fine."

Piper led Annabeth over to her bed and the two sat down to discuss the details of the Princess' earlier meeting with her fiancé.

Annabeth quickly began listing off every negative aspect of the Prince, and went on for a solid three minutes before Piper interrupted her. "Annabeth, remember, a princess is brave, a princess is kind, a princess is strong, both in the heart and mind. Be positive for a few minutes and go off on it."

Piper was more of a proper princess than Annabeth had ever been. Piper's grandfather had been the King of Sparta, but her father renounced the throne wanting a less powerful role. So, he settled for a minister in the Athenian court. However, Piper was still properly trained in case she wanted to take over the crown. But she too distanced herself from the royal title and decided to serve Annabeth instead. Sparta was very far from Athens, and she couldn't bear to be that far from her father and her friend. And yet, that never stopped her from advising Annabeth on anything and everything related to being a lady.

Annabeth took a breath and straightened up on the bed, "Well, he isn't bad to look at. Actually, he's the best-looking man I've ever seen… Not that I would know. I haven't left castle borders for years. Either way, he also cares about his mother very much, so he lives in a loving environment, which I desperately need after twenty-one years in this prison. He respects my boundaries, which is absolutely wonderful. My biggest concern with this arrangement was that he would be a bad person, and luckily, he isn't. But there's something very, very wrong in the way he interacted with me. His eyes were filled with grief, even when he smiled. Every time he looked I said something that was vaguely headstrong, he looked like he was going to faint. I don't know what exactly happened, but it seems like he has recently lost somebody who he loved more than anything. If it was romantic or platonic or familial, I couldn't tell. But I know there was a loss, and he has definitely taken it hard.

"Whatever this loss may be, I feel as if it might be the reason for his coldness towards me. I tried to be kind, but you are aware of my instinctual behavior. I am not naturally kind, having been brought up in this harsh environment. I tend to put many walls up, ones that are difficult to bypass, and it takes time to break them down. Prince Perseus kept his interactions with me at a minimum. He told me about himself, but the information I received was limited. His mother, Queen Sally, is a kind woman, his stepfather, Queen consort Paul, is also kind. He is twenty-one, a month younger than I am, and he is the Crown Prince of Corinth. And that was the end to the information that the Prince graced me with. I was left in the dark about his source of grief. Hopefully, I will find out soon enough."

Piper sat listening to Annabeth as she continued to speak of the Prince and his odd behavior. She tuned out the princess and began thinking of her future in Corinth. Yes, she would miss her father, but Corinth was not terribly far from Athens, and if all goes well she would be able to see her father fairly often. Not forgetting that she would definitely have a better life in Corinth. Even though she was the heir to the Spartan throne, because she chose to be Annabeth's attendant, she was treated just as Annabeth was. But in Corinth, her quality of life would be drastically increased. Corinth was also closer to Corinth, though it was still very far away. If she wanted to visit her childless uncle and aunt, the King and Queen of Sparta, it would be easier. Still a week-long journey, and very unlikely, but it wasn't out of the question.

"Piper? Are you listening?" Annabeth's voice pulled Piper out of daydreams and unfortunately, back into reality.

-Ω-

Percy settled into the guest chambers that King Frederick had presented him with once he emerged from his meeting with the latter's daughter. It was a nice, comfortable space with a large bed, a shelf of scrolls and manuscripts, and elegant works of arts carefully and precisely placed on the walls. The prince was told that his chamber was located in the main wing of the palace, on the lower floor, just one passageway away from the royal family. When he has asked about where he could find Annabeth to discuss any further arrangements, Frederick had gestured vaguely to the upper floor, dismissing her location as 'somewhere up there'. Percy, slightly infuriated by Frederick's lack of attentiveness towards his daughter, maintained his composure and nodded before returning to his room.

A wary glance at his surroundings allowed him to let his guard down and change into his night clothes. It was very late, and he needed to rest for the following morning, where he would meet the rest of the royal family and would be talking to some of the court officials.

As he discarded his robes, he heard a knock at his door. Quickly putting on some decent apparel, Percy walked towards the door and opened it very slightly. To his surprise, Grover Underwood, Percy's good friend and Corinth official, stood admiring the elegant wall décor. Upon noticing the prince, Grover straightened and addressed him.

"Perseus, may I come in? I have some important information to share with you."

Percy nodded groggily, slightly pissed that he wouldn't be able to get the sleep he wanted. Nevertheless, he let Grover in and took a seat on the bed.

Grover sat down next to the prince and gave him a sympathetic glance, "There are a few things you should know before your meetings tomorrow, but first, what do you think of Annabeth?". Grover had known Annabeth for a long time since he was actually an Athenian guard at the palace before he was transferred to Corinth because Annabeth had grown up and needed a female chambermaid/ assistant. He had been overjoyed when Percy had told him that Annabeth was the princess that he was arranged to marry. But he had also given Percy a careful warning about treating the princess with respect and dignity, and Percy wouldn't dare overlook those words of advice.

Percy was careful to watch his wording so he wouldn't offend Grover in anyway. "She's beautiful, that's for sure. But she's very commanding. If I was to take the throne, I have a strong feeling that she would quickly take charge. Not that that's a bad thing," Percy quickly corrected himself upon receiving a pointed look from his friend.

"But my real issue with this arrangement is that she has a very familiar aura. Too familiar for me to even fathom. Grover, Annabeth reminds me so much of Her. And since I lost Her, I haven't been the same, and you're well aware of that. It's hard without Her. I was 18, still a child when I lost Her. But time hasn't healed this wound. And Annabeth is strong, and brave, and beautiful, and having a figure like her won't help me forget or move on. I'll be dwelling on the past forever."

Percy's voice broke, and a lone tear slid down his cheek. "I don't want to do this Grover. It's all too much. I loved her so, so much. And she's gone. And it's because of me. I couldn't face Charles for over a year because I was too filled with guilt. He was so strong about it. But I wasn't. And I don't know if I ever will be. Going through with this arrangement is my duty, and my duty to my kingdom is more important that my emotions, and I understand that. I'm just unsure as to how I'll handle this."

Grover was taken aback by his friend's sudden emotional breakdown. Perseus Jackson, Crown Prince of Corinth, was one of the strongest men that Grover knew when it came to emotions. He could hold every ounce of anger without bursting. Hold every tear in without letting them flow. Hold every desire in without exploding. Even Grover, one of the Prince's closest friends, hadn't seen Percy tear up. Hadn't heard Percy's voice crack. At least, not since She died.

Taking a deep breath, Percy pulled Grover out of his thoughts. "Either way, what did you come here to tell me," said Percy, regaining his regality and composure.

Grover, reassured by Percy's return to normalcy, began telling Percy of everything he had experienced during his meeting with the Athenian officials.

-Ω-

 **Athenian Royal Court**

Malcolm Pace was the most prominent advisor in the entire Athenian royal court, with the exception of his father. He had helped the King make most of the important decisions in regards to warfare and dealing with the peasantry. He had actually been the one to suggest easing relations with Corinth to Frederick. There was a greater enemy on the way, and fighting them would require immense amounts of manpower. Having Corinth by their side would make it much easier to join forces and fight with a united front against those with malicious intentions.

However, as well versed with the court as Malcolm was, there was one issue that his interference and input had no worth. And that was in the case of Annabeth. Malcolm was 5 years older than Annabeth and had been working at the palace since he was 18. Unbeknownst to the King, Malcolm too was a child of Athena, though his grey eyes, a dead giveaway of Athenian lineage, were hidden between pools of blue, making it easier for him to disguise his true heritage.

Malcolm's father, Minister Pace, had been working for the King for nearly 25 years, which definitely helped Malcolm make his way up the ladder of the courts. And though it may have been considered nepotism, court officials and others who worked under the Athenian royal family loved him so much that they let it slide. Minister Pace had actually been the one who Frederick had confided in when Annabeth was delivered to him. All of Athens knew of the young girl's true mother, and had tried their hardest to visit the palace, but Frederick refused to let anyone near his precious little girl.

That night was vividly ingrained in Malcolm's mind. His father had come home and told him that he had a little sister. Malcolm had been absolutely elated before finding out that she was actually the princess and he couldn't visit her. He found his way around this little obstacle, figuring out a way to visit with the princess when she turned three.

Malcolm remembered Annabeth crying into his shoulder when she found out her dad was getting married. She said Helen was nice, but she didn't want a mom that would take her away from her dad. Grover and Malcolm had sat with the girl when she was moved out of her large and well-furnished chamber into the upper floor of the castle.

Minister Pace would bring home stories of how the King was changing. How Helen would say terrible things about Annabeth and Athena in the court, and all the courtiers would have to listen with their heads down. How the King had begun to ignore his daughter, the girl who had been his most precious little baby.

Malcolm was enraged by all these stories and when he turned 15, he thought it was about time he told Annabeth the truth about their relation. He told her of their mother, who he had always wished to meet. He told her about what her father said, about what her step-mother said. Annabeth had wept for an hour before suddenly drying every last tear. She then swore she would show Helen what she was really worth. Show her father who he had messed with. Malcolm was a constant by her side, along with Grover.

But when the time came for Grover to leave to Corinth, Annabeth begged him not to go. However, her father ordered Grover away, and that was the end of the ordeal. So, when Grover came back as the representative of Annabeth's betrothed, Malcolm was elated to see his good friend.

The Athenian official told his former coworker of Helen's increasing torment of Annabeth, and of Annabeth's close relationship to Matthew and Robert. Malcolm warned Grover that Prince Perseus may not be treated with the utmost respect by Helen, who may have been married to the King for fourteen years, but still hadn't developed any manners whatsoever. He also informed Grover that Matthew and Robert would have to be spoken with separately, because their mother was definitely evil's incarnation, but the boys loved their sister very much.

But finally, as their meeting wrapped up, Malcolm turned to his friend, face tight and eyes wary, and whispered, "Make sure he takes care of her."

-Ω-

Sally scrambled around the Corinthian palace, attending to every possible preparation for the wedding. There were only four days until the nuptials of her only son, and in the Queen's mind, everything had to be in precise order, placed with perfection. She had even gone as far as to invite her nephews from Lemnos to help organize guest lists and seating arrangements. Her niece and nephew from Olympia were brought over to decorate the palace. She set her husband to ready chambers for the Princess and for King Frederick who would come by for the wedding.

Travel arrangements, sleeping arrangements, seating arrangements, and every other kind of arrangement was being taken care of in Corinth. The peasantry, all of whom were invited to watch a portion of the wedding, were in the midst of finding their fanciest and most elegant garments. Others had volunteered to head certain departments of preparations because the Queen had even roped government officials into helping her.

She spent hours and hours rushing from one end of the palace to another, directing objects, supervising officials, and heavy lifting furniture. All preparations were full swing. She had had the in-palace cleaners and maids mop and wax every floor, and as she wasn't afraid to gets her hands dirty, the Queen herself joined in, dusting, sweeping, and washing. She tended to the palace and the preparations with a keen, sharp eye.

By the end of the day, the tired, but proud Queen returned to her chambers for some well-deserved and much needed rest. She entered her wardrobe and began to change into more casual robes. After quickly tidying up her room, she exited and made her way down several grand staircases and passageways before arriving in the palace kitchen. She grabbed a packet of fresh milk, delivered to the palace that morning from the royal farmyard, from the icebox, and started a small, contained fire to boil it.

She heard a soft noise behind her, but dismissed it as a servant or palace worker making their way up to their room for the night. Mind wrapped up in the upcoming wedding, she also missed the sudden flash of light. It wasn't until the soft footsteps approaching her were heard that she addressed the visitor.

"Hello, how may I help y-," the Queen froze as she turned around. Her mouth fell open with disbelief of the two figures who stood within a few feet, towering above her…

* * *

 **I hope you all liked it!**

 **You met a character who wasn't given a name, but was countlessly spoken about. She will be a very important character, and I wanted to give you guys a chance to take a guess at her identity- I won't say if she is in the books, or if she's an OC. Leave a review with a guess and how she was linked to Percy, and I might respond to it. There's one big clue in the chapter. See if you can find it!**

 **Also, there is a poll on my profile. Be sure to head over there and vote!**

 **Thank you for your patience and your support!**

 **Love,**

 **-AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi everyone! I know that it's been absolutely forever. I'm so sorry! Regardless, enjoy the chapter and check out the A/N at the end.**

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

 **"A strong friendship doesn't need daily conversation, doesn't need togetherness, as long as the relationship lives in the heart, true friends will never part…"**

 **-Unknown**

Helen harshly yanked the loose thread she found on the Athena statue that led from the royal chambers to the main palace, nearly ripping it out. She stormed out of the corridor and into the throne room to have a word with her husband about letting what she called "Corinthian scum" into the house, even if he was to marry the King's daughter. The Corinthians were supposedly kind people who cared for everyone, but this was Athens. This was Athena's kingdom, and Poseidon's spawn were not welcome, no matter their intentions, nor their invitation.

However, as much she hated the Corinthians, she hated Annabeth more. The girl was the literal spawn of the Gods, making her not only beautiful, but also smart and brave. Which left Helen with seething jealousy and competition for throne, not ideal qualities for the Queen of Greece's finest kingdom, second only to Corinth. And this jealously was what led her to poisoning the King's mind, convincing him to lock away his first born, his little girl, and leave her to the servants, with no attention from the King whatsoever.

And now, she has to travel miles upon miles to Corinth just to attend the wedding of a woman she wished nothing better than death for. How wonderful. But as much as Helen hated the idea of Annabeth receiving power, whatever its form may be, she was awfully glad to get her wretched step-daughter out of her palace. Sure, she had never really interacted with the girl more than a few times. Once she'd convinced Frederick to isolate Annabeth because she was an illegitimate child who could tarnish his reputation, there were but three or four instances in which the Queen met with the young princess. All of them being quite short and pointed. And all of which Helen had taken advantage of, screaming at the girl to go back to her room and stay out of a place where she wasn't welcome.

And despite the immense jealousy Helen held for Annabeth, there was a small part of her, a tiny sliver, one she would most definitely not admit to, that wanted to get to know her young step-daughter. The one she'd tried to throw out of the palace on multiple occasions. But that little bit of good in her would disappear the second Helen thought of the girl's mother. The mother of her husband's child. The actual Olympian Goddess herself. How in Hades could a simple mortal woman, one who reigned from a small Greek kingdom that Frederick was forced to make peace with, compete with an actual Olympian Goddess? The guardian of their kingdom. The wisest woman to ever have graced the Earth and the Heavens. Of course, she knew that Annabeth was a brain child and that Frederick and Athena were never truly in a relationship, but the fact that a Goddess' daughter lived under the same roof as her still ate at her insides.

However, no matter how angry she was with her life, she still had to attend a wedding. And she didn't really mind outshining the bride. Helen was considered extremely beautiful to all those who laid eyes on her. She had sleek, straight black hair that fell to her waist and large brown eyes, often coated in layers of thick lining like those of the Egyptians. Her skin was without a flaw and glowed in the light of candles and in Apollo's rays. She had a slim figure, one that every woman who saw her envied. All eyes are on her as she walks into the room. In all honesty, her reputation was based solely on her astonishing beauty. And the worst part, she was very aware of it. And very proud of it.

Regardless, Helen stomped into the throne with the full intention of scolding her husband, only to find him waiting alongside a very handsome young man with beautiful sea green eyes and naturally disheveled black hair. It was men like this who made her wonder why she married a man like Frederick, who was good looking in his age, but didn't age as well as she'd hoped. She supposed it was her step-daughter's betrothed. She took a good look at him, taking in all of the features. He was much too handsome to marry Annabeth. The girl was too raggedy, too skinny. Her eyes were stormy, and she always looked angry. She would never be able to keep the future King of Corinth happy. But because the wedding was purely for diplomatic reasons, she straightened up, and strode towards the prince with the composure of a Goddess.

"Prince Perseus, a pleasure to make your acquaintance"

-Ω-

Sally stood staring in disbelief at the two Gods that stood in front of her. She'd gotten used to visits from Poseidon and even Athena, especially of late. But these two, to visit her, of all people. It certainly was shaping up to be an interesting day.

The woman who stood in front of her had thick, wavy brown hair that reached her mid back and bright eyes whose color couldn't be placed. Her eyes had been elegantly coated with kohl and ash. Her lips were a dark red and her nose was pierced, holding a small ring that held a silver gemstone. She wore a wine-colored dress that fell to her ankles and heels that were way too high to be comfortable. The man who stood by her was considerably shorter than her and was in a simple white tunic. He had curly and short brown hair. He had a bronze helmet resting on his head and white shoes that had small, bronze wings. In comparison, he didn't look like half the God she was.

"Queen Sally of Corinth, an honor to meet a mortal as wise and honorable as you," the Goddess said, giving Sally an approving glance.

Sally bowed at the Gods and expressed her confusion at the visit.

"I've learned to expect Lord Poseidon and Lady Athena when I see flashes of light nowadays, but I was not informed of this visit. Lady Aphrodite, Lord Hermes, is there something wrong?"

"Queen Sally of Corinth, though we wish we are here on a more pleasant note, but that is unfortunately not the case. Your son will be marrying Princess Annabeth of Athens in two days, as I am very aware-" Hermes was interrupted by a little clap and squeal from Aphrodite.

Rolling his eyes, Hermes delivered the rest of his news, "Anyway, this union will be the cause of many controversies throughout the country. Though I personally find this engagement to be one of the greatest in all of history, and Aphrodite most certainly agrees with me, arrogant humans who surround your kingdom, especially those in Crete and even extending past your country's borders, may not be as happy with the arrangement. The uniting of the two of the most powerful kingdoms in all of Greece may come off as a threat to the less commanding kingdoms."

Sally was taken aback by the amount of information that was thrown at her in the short moments following the Olympians' arrival.

"My Lord, are you alerting me to call off the wedding? With all due respect, the wedding is in a little more than 48 hours, and it is 1 AM. Too much effort has gone into this wedding to have it disbanded now. If this was the case, why choose now to inform me? Annabeth, Perseus, and the rest of the guests from Athens are leaving in 7 hours. It is much too late to send them a message!"

Aphrodite was quick to clarify Hermes' message, "Sally, my dear, there is absolutely no need to jump to conclusions. Hermes and I are here only to inform you. Even if Zeus tried to cancel the wedding, I never would have let him. I most definitely will see Perseus Jackson and Annabeth Chase be wed."

Sally let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "My Lady, what do you suggest I do to prevent these threats, other than cancel the wedding?"

"There does not exist a way to prevent a future which has not been destined by an oracle. We are not sure of the certainty of a war or even a small battle in your near future. We only come to advise you. We Olympians are also subjected to the rumor mill. These are mere cautions that we are providing you with."

"Lady Aphrodite, war has always been at our forefront, how does this battle differ from every other prospect that has been placed in front of us in the past?"

"This time, the Olympians may have to get involved. Ares himself has found this impending future unappealing, and he normally would be salivating at the idea," Aphrodite replied, with a small laugh.

"How do we prepare for the battle with so many of our resources being thrown into the wedding?", asked Sally, already thinking of every alternative that could be used to solve the problem that the Gods has posed.

"Go on with the wedding, but once the Crown Prince and his wife return from the tour of the city, be certain to escort them to Delphi. Apollo is off dealing with matters in distant hands, so he will not be able to attend to prophetic duties, but he has left the finest Oracle known to man and God alike to keep everything in order. She will be able to advise your son and his wife on how to deal with the impending threat your kingdom faces."

Sally simply nodded, already running through several battle strategies to pitch to her General, in the case of war.

"On that note, it's time we took leave. We wish you well in the preparations. We'll see you at the wedding."

Sally bowed and turned away as the Gods took their full form and left the palace.

Navigating herself to the nearest seat, Sally fell back into a small couch located in the corner of the room and let out a deep breath. As if her life wasn't crazy enough, she was now victim to random visits from Gods about the impending doom of her kingdom. Oh, wasn't palace life just a joy.

-Ω-

Frederick saw to the loading of the last of his baggage and climbed onto his mount. Not far behind him were Matthew and Robert, followed by a palanquin carrying Helen and her handmaid. The family would be travelling through the heart of Athens to greet their people before making the journey to Corinth, hence their early departure. Annabeth and Percy agreed to visit the Athenians after they had gotten married and were settled in, and were departing later with Piper, Grover, Malcolm, and Chiron.

Frederick directed the guards to open the gates and start ahead. As they proceeded down the pathways leading into the city, the King kept himself several paces ahead of his sons and his wife. Amidst all the preparations for the wedding, it had been hard for him to get time alone to think. And with his number one confidant was busy spending time with Annabeth, helping her get ready, he'd had no one to talk to recently. Malcolm had always been awfully close to the Princess. Frederick was unaware of the reason behind this connection. It felt like family bond to him, but Malcolm's father wasn't related to the King and his mother had died soon after she gave birth, as far as he had heard.

He'd asked Malcolm to accompany him on his trip to the city, but the official had flat out refused. Though the King had always opened up to Malcolm and had treated him like a son, the young man kept himself tight-lipped. The advisor seemed cold whenever speaking to the King, as if Frederick had sinned unrepentantly. The clueless king didn't put much thought into Malcolm's behavior. He never once connected it to his treatment of his daughter, Malcolm's beloved half-sister, because unbeknownst to Frederick, Annabeth was Malcolm's top confidant.

The thought of Annabeth's relationship with Malcolm led Frederick into thoughts about the wedding. Percy was a fine young man and would be a wonderful King. And though Annabeth was the rightful heir to the throne of Athens, her husband would be the real ruler, which provided Frederick with an immense amount of relief. The girl, though trained by the greatest brain and the greatest brawn in all of Greece, as well as being blessed by all the Gods, may prove to be reckless in her ways.

For that reason, Frederick tried time and time again to hand over the kingdom to his son, Matthew, who was responsible, brave, and smart. But upon receiving threats from Athena, and Matthew and Robert's rejection of the throne, he was left with no choice but to name Princess Annabeth Chase the heir to the throne. Sure, the girl was his daughter, though produced by Athena herself, she was half of him. She had his stubbornness, his leadership, and his love for architecture.

Frederick remembered her love for building blocks and puzzles when she was a child. He would sit with her and play in between meetings and appointments. During the meetings, she'd sit on a small throne beside his and entertain the children of the court officials or the children of the villagers who came to the King with concerns. Her wisdom was the charm of hundreds of stories told throughout the kingdom and was spread through the other Greek cities. The people found hope in the daughter of Athena. The Goddess had trusted the King with her daughter. That had to mean he was a good man. One of honesty and integrity. One who would love his people like his family. One who would raise his daughter to be the best Queen the country would ever see.

The King had once hoped to live up to these expectations. He made plans to give Annabeth the best possible education she could receive. Shower her with so much love. Find a man to rule by her side, one who was worthy of her, one who could love her as much as he had.

But all those hopes went down the drain once a King from a small Greek kingdom threatened war on Athens unless Frederick married the man's daughter. Reluctantly, Frederick agreed, not wanting any harm to come to his daughter. Though it had been a small kingdom, their military power was unmatched. They were feared by many other kingdoms in Greece. Yet, the nerve to challenge a kingdom like Athens had to come with insane confidence and power. So Frederick was left with no choice but to marry the woman and create a treatise with the other kingdom. However, Helen turned out to be the poison that Frederick had been trying to avoid. Once she gave birth to her twin sons, she demanded that Annabeth be given minimal attention. The woman's persuasion was extremely powerful as she made an argument about Annabeth being an illegitimate child who would set a bad example for the people.

With a heavy heart, the King moved the little girl to a room far away from the chambers of the royal family. She was given food in her room and was not welcome to any family gatherings. She made the occasional appearance at a big gala or during the Olympian festival merely to appease Athena, who had directed her attention towards other matters. Even Annabeth's education had been halted. However, Chiron, the trainer of heroes, disobeyed the orders of the King and continued teaching the young girl. Because no one cared for her whereabouts, she was free to train at any time. Frederick had once caught the girl sword fighting with Chiron, but he had let it slide, warning them to stay out of Helen's sight.

It was with this free time that Annabeth had gained such a closeness with nearly every court official, palace servant, and military official. She would sit alongside the general as he directed the soldiers in their training, and he would let her direct them on occasion. She would keep the servants company as they cleaned, and though they vehemently refused her help, she would clean along with them. She would spend time in the kitchens when Helen was not present and would get the first taste of every meal that was prepared for the royals.

She had won the hearts of everyone who inhibited the palace, which was what made it tremendously difficult for Frederick to send her away to Corinth. No one wanted her to go. They knew they would have to face the wrath of Helen and there wouldn't be a young girl there to get them through it. She had promised them that she would come back, but the likelihood of her keeping that promise was low. And everyone knew it.

Frederick knew that he had made many mistakes in his time, and he was aware of the influence Helen had had on his treatment of his first born, but at this moment, as he was headed off towards her wedding, where he would be sending her miles and miles away, to possibly never see her again, he felt the weight of his sins. Regret pooled in his heart and it panged to spend more time with his little girl, the future Queen of Corinth. But he knew his time for repent had passed. He knew that her forgiveness was no longer something he could win. He would have to live out the rest of his life knowing that he mistreated his daughter. That he shut her away for 15 years and kept her in the dark, quite literally. It had been done. There was no reversing it. And he would have to live with that.

* * *

 **Hey! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. So much has happened in the last few weeks, so I wasn't able to keep up with the writing. But I will try and get another chapter up sorta soon.**

 **We got to see the softer side of Frederick here and take a look at Annabeth's childhood. Also, what do you think the war means for Percabeth?**

 **The next chapter will most likely be the wedding, or at least the beginning of it. I know you guys have waited so long for it, so I thought it might be time.**

 **Keep your guesses coming for who She may be. I won't deny or confirm the guesses from last time. But some of you came close.**

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **Thanks!**

 **Love,**

 **-AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey! In honor of Percy's birthday, I'm posting this chapter- though I would've done it regardless... Anyway, Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

 **"War does not determine who is right, only who is left."**

 **-Bertrand Russell**

The journey to Corinth was a long one, albeit a thoughtful one. Since the royal family had left earlier, Malcolm and Grover stayed back with Percy, Annabeth, and Piper to escort them to Corinth safely. Annabeth had insisted on riding a steed alongside Percy, Malcolm, and Grover, and naturally, Piper ended up on a horse as well. The five travelers, completely surrounded by guards, were fairly talkative, discussing subjects ranging from the weather to the prospect of war.

Grover and Annabeth spent a large portion of the trip catching up after many years apart. They discussed his position in the Corinthian palace, her accumulated knowledge from her trainer (and her mother). Having been one of the princess' closest friends and caretakers, Grover felt quite guilty for being away for such a long period of time. And his guilt made sure he stayed with her the whole ride, making sure she was happy, if not talking to her directly.

Malcolm rode ahead of the group, directing the clan and talking with the guards. The reality of Annabeth's departure hadn't hit him quite yet, and he was avoiding facing it at all costs. He directed the guards through the outskirts of the kingdom, occasionally yelling when they went too into the city or took a wrong turn that would add even an extra minute to their journey.

Piper and Percy immediately hit it off with one another. Their maturity levels were quite equal and they had very similar tastes. The two had previous knowledge of one another. Because of Piper's Spartan blood, her father, when he was king, visited Corinth on the occasion and took Piper with him. They were good friends when they were children and were distant cousins through some complicatedly weaved familial circuit. Regardless, the two found a lot of common ground, both because of interests and dislike of certain subjects, namely literature and history, though there wasn't much to go off of for the latter.

Half way through the ride, once conversation had slowed, and the lack of speech turned awkward, the travelers fell silent, each absorbed in their own thoughts. Grover excitedly looked into the future, now that he was newly united with the two people who he had spent most of his life with. The idea of Annabeth and Percy being in the same palace eased Grover immensely, knowing that he would be able to be there for both of them. It also helped his peace of mind that Annabeth would be away from Frederick and Helen.

Malcolm was both worried and reassured about what was to come. He didn't like the idea of his younger sister being sent away to a strange kingdom where her welcome was unknown. The stories he had heard of Queen Sally were all wonderful, but he couldn't help but anticipate the worst. His warrior instincts taught him to never trust anyone until they've proven themselves worthy, but his minister instincts told him to trust everyone until they've proven themselves unworthy. Somehow, the uncertainty of the future also reassured his nerves. The Corinthians could give Annabeth a better life than she'd even imagined possible. And that's really all he wanted for her.

Piper was absolutely elated to be traveling to Corinth. She'd lived out her life so far as a servant, and while she may have been Annabeth's best friend and top confidant, it wasn't the lifestyle that she had been groomed for. Her father had made sure to train her well in the art of sword, and her aunt, the current Queen of Sparta, had taught her to handle herself with the grace and elegance that a queen was expected to carry. Her uncle, the King, had made sure she was equipped with confidence that any royal needed. And with her mother being Aphrodite herself, it wasn't difficult to develop beauty and charm. Someone with the skills of a royal, well, they didn't do well in the likes of servanthood. In Corinth, she'd be treated like the princess she was. And no, she didn't want it for the glory or the luxury, but rather to be in a position to help others, to put her well-earned skills to use. And anything would be better than watching Annabeth being ignored by her own father.

Annabeth refused to get her hopes up about Corinth. When she was moved far from the royal chambers, off to the servant's quarters, Annabeth had cried for days on end, Malcolm and Grover tried to comfort her, as did other palace workers, but the tears wouldn't stop. After weeks of seeing the princess mope around, a young palace gardener, Miranda, came up to the girl and sat her down.

"Annabeth, darling, you mustn't cry. You must be strong, be brave. Us women, we're expected to cry. We're expected to weep and do nothing about our problems. But you don't need to follow that. There's nothing wrong with expressing your emotions with tears, but you should also be strong. Learn to control them," Miranda explained, concern apparent in her eyes.

"But how? My dad practically kicked me out. He doesn't love me," Annabeth said, tears welling in her eyes.

"And why are you upset?"

"Because he's my dad. He's supposed to take care of me. That's what my mother told him to do."

"See child, that's where the problem is. You're expecting too much. I understand that you're upset, and you have every right to be, but try to find the best in it. If there's one value to live off of, it's that you should never expect things from people. Do everything you can to help others. But do not expect anything in return. Your self-worth should not be determined by other people. Your deeds are what counts. So, make sure that you hold true to yourself. Be confident in your abilities to do things, not others to help you. No matter who gets in your way, never let them obstruct your goals."

At that time, Annabeth was too young to know the real value of the advice she was given. She had kept the words close to her heart and once she really began to understand its meaning, she followed Miranda's instructions to a tee. And when Miranda, who had come from a small town named Atticus, just 25 km from Athens, left for Persia due to some family relocation, the words held even more weight to the young princess. Annabeth was 13 when she moved, and the two of them had been very close. It broke the princess' heart, but she knew not to expect anything and didn't break down, though she wanted to. More than anything.

And it was because of Miranda's advice that Annabeth deliberately tried to keep her expectations low about Corinth. Sure, Perseus seemed to be a decent man, even though he was hung up on some girl, and the stories she'd heard of Queen Sally were all pleasant, but optimism would only result in her being let down. So, she didn't expect much. If Corinth is a better experience than Athens, then she'd be in for a welcome surprise, but otherwise, she wouldn't be disappointed or upset, two emotions that would disrupt her duties of being queen.

Percy, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. His trip to Corinth was spent thinking about both the past and the future. His life had been amazing, compared to Annabeth's, though there was a conflict that lasted several years with a creepy palace stalker named Gabe and his even worse stench. Percy was very optimistic for the future to come. He knew that Annabeth had been through a lot, and no matter how arrogant or insufferable she was, she still deserved a better life. This arrangement would also heal the rift between their kingdoms and their godly parents, and in Percy's opinion, that was a win.

And Annabeth's personality made him feel less lonely. She reminded him so much of Her. His best friend, his kith and kin.

When Percy was three, his cousin, Prince Charles, who was seven at the time, was promised to six-year-old Princess Silena. Charles, who lived in the Corinthian palace, was excited to make a new friend, and made sure Silena was always around. The princess lived very close to the palace in a smaller villa. Her father ruled over a small kingdom and was elated to be forging a connection to a superpower like Corinth.

Soon, when Charles started getting older, and was sent off to his kingdom for training, Silena and Percy grew much closer. She was Percy's best friend, constantly bossing him around and playing with him. The two of them would go riding together, pretending their horses were pegasi and could fly. They'd chariot race and play with the village children together. The two were inseparable. She'd secretly train with Percy even though she technically wasn't supposed to. He'd ask her for help with his scripture classes and arithmetic studies. Silena could read Percy like an open book and Percy the same for her.

She was the older sister that Percy never had. She would protect him at any cost, constantly stopping Gabe from coming near the boy, and scolding Charles for reprimanding the prince. And because she was betrothed to Charles, she was actually a part of Percy's family, which the latter absolutely loved. And Sally, well, Sally loved Silena almost as much as Percy did. The Queen would dote on the princess like she was her own daughter. Silena never knew her mother, so Sally, being the wonderful woman she was, constantly made sure Silena had someone to watch after her.

Everyone in the palace praised the girl. She was known for her beauty and her wits. She was stood strong for what she believed in, and didn't back down before convincing others that she was right. She was brave and was an incredible warrior. That's what reminded Percy of Annabeth. Her unwillingness to give up, and her incredible faith in herself.

In the time after Charles returned, he and Silena truly fell in love, only validating their engagement further. The two would spend as much time as possible together. But that didn't curb her time with Percy. The three of them spent so much time together, that people started to wonder and spread rumors that were far from respectful of their future king.

However, like Percy's fatal flaw was his loyalty, Silena's was her curiosity. She'd always go hunting for trouble, and she'd always find it. One evening, when Percy was seventeen, and Silena twenty, the latter dragged the former to tavern. They both disguised as young men, complete with large beards and stocky builds. The princess ended up drinking a little too much and had to be yanked off a beer-bellied, middle-aged man who had some words about women. And that was only one of the bar brawls of the night.

Her curiosity had gotten the three of them into several skirmished in such locations, bars, theatres, town square, markets, etc. She'd always crossed the imaginary line that kept full on fights from breaking out, and would often be the instigator for such things.

But her curiosity and determination had helped her in the past, when she was younger, she declared that she would train to be a soldier in war and would fight against anyone who wished harm against Corinth. She worked extremely hard, day and night, training with every possible weapon, sparring against men much stronger than her. She then joined the Corinthian army and fought alongside Charles and Percy on many occasions, essentially winning the wars for them. She was considered a war hero throughout the kingdom.

Later, when Percy was eighteen, Silena twenty-one, and Charles twenty-two, only weeks before Silena and Charles' wedding, a small battle was waged on the border of Corinth. Percy and Charles were both given divisions of the Corinthian army to lead, but Silena insisted that she be allowed to fight, regardless of how dangerous it could be. She argued that she had fought and won many battles across several cities. Finally, after an immense amount of speeches, scolding, and flat out yelling, they let Silena join them, assigning her to work with Percy on his division. They trained and prepared, and went in confident.

Sally led the troops into battle, though only a small portion of their army overall, due to it being a relatively small kingdom that they were fighting against. To make sure they experienced the least losses possible, the military was trained not to kill, but to injure, to halt the enemy but not murder. The soldiers rode into the battle, bows in hand and arrows in quivers, gilded swords hanging from satchels, daggers strapped to their uniforms.

The battle did not get off to a good start. Several Corinthian soldiers fell off their horses, some injured, some dead. Soon, their forces of people who could fully and functionally fight had considerably dwindled down. Taking the lead, Silena rode into the center and began taking down opponents one after another, swiftly and humanely, not killing, but minorly injuring the enemy soldiers.

One by one, the opposing army was lessening in size and strength. Troops were down to the hundreds and the fight was getting more intense. The bloodstained battlegrounds were haunting, limbs were flying, bodies were crumpling. And it wasn't getting any better.

Suddenly, another two to three hundred enemy soldiers came marching up, all with their bowstrings properly positioned, and aimed for the crown prince. Noticing their aim, Sally ordered an attack and sent her troops into the center to take out all the soldiers aimed at her son.

Quickly, most of the soldiers had fallen on the opposing kingdom's side. And the King of the other side called for a retreat. But before turning back, a scrawny member of the opposing army shot an arrow. Aimed directly at Percy's heart.

Before Percy could move, it began hurtling toward him. His life flashed in front of him, his memories with his mother, with Charles, and Silena, and Grover. The future of his kingdom crossed his mind. The arrow, traveling faster than words could describe, was a split-second away from piercing him, when someone jumped in front of him and took the arrow straight to the chest.

Percy, in complete shock, bent down to see the person who saved him life. In front of him lay Silena, the hilt of an arrow sticking out from her chest, her eyes closed, and her breathing non-apparent.

* * *

 **Sorry I left you guys like that. At least you found out who She was?**

 **Also, Happy Birthday Percy!**

 **Anyway, I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while. I was waiting till today to publish something else I've been working on, but unfortunately, part of that file got deleted. And I had been working on a prophecy for this story, which I finally finished and I'm pretty proud of. I know I promised the wedding, and you'll definitely see it soon, but I needed to introduce Silena, so I decided to do it now. The wedding will be pretty interesting, though I don't want to get your hopes up too much.**

 **I'll say one thing, Miranda is a decently important character... take a guess why. There's some kinda clue in here, though it may not be in the section that she's in.**

 **Thank you!**

 **Love,**

 **-AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter**


	13. Chapter 13

**So I've made you guys wait for this chapter for wayyyyy too long, so I hope it reaches your expectations. It's wedding day! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

 **"Just as courage is the danger of life, so is fear its safeguard."**

 **-Leonardo Da Vinci**

Wedding preparations were in full swing in Corinth. Not a minute went by without some palace worker hanging off a ladder trying to put up decorations or some maid cleaning, and recleaning the same spot till their reflection was prominent. Sally was losing her mind trying to manage everything while simultaneously being a proper host for the prematurely arriving Athenian royal family. She hadn't been expecting them for at least another day, and was somewhat bitter about the fact that they didn't alert her of their early arrival. They just walked in and expected a warm welcome. Which was certainly difficult, even for a woman as kind and generous as Sally. And while she had to brace herself and hold her tongue in order to be polite to that wretched wife of Frederick, she was able to put Matthew and Robert to good use.

The boys reminded Sally so much of Percy. They were brave, witty, strong, and quite surprisingly, extremely kind. They immediately volunteered to help her with anything that she could possibly need help with, and though she wasn't sure if they genuinely wanted to help or just wanted to get away from their parents, she gladly accepted. Their personalities only raised her hopes of Annabeth. If they themselves were such respectable boys, she could only imagine how delightful Annabeth's presence would be in the palace. She would have to be amazing. The boys, for the time being, would be extremely useful for set up.

Sally had them cart in some of the heavier things for the ceremony, like the logs for the sacrificial flames, and the large metal blockades to keep out anyone with malicious intent. There would be a lot of people attending the wedding and while she trusted that her people were good, some were just born with evil rooted in their hearts, and once it was planted, it was hard to pull it out. Plus, she'd heard the stories about palace visitors with hidden weapons who end up harming or killing the royal, so she made sure every precaution was in place. The boys heaved the materials in while Sally argued with the royal chef about how much food would be necessary. The man hadn't taken into consideration that the public was invited to the wedding, and that they'd need small portions to give to the guests. Though Sally made sure that food was very easily accessible to her people, it would be rude to send them off empty handed.

And though the boys were very helpful, they had been absolutely spoilt, and therefore had some trouble with the physical labor that was involved in the wedding preparations. So, Sally was eagerly awaiting the arrival of her nephew, Jason, from Olympia. He also may be a prince, but he was much more skilled in manual labor compared to the Athenian princes. The boys were kind-hearted and had exceptional wit, both of which confused Sally as to their origin due to the boys' parents, neither of whom were particularly kind, nor witty. But even the gentlest of hearts can't escape the pampering of a mother. So, Jason was evidently her best bet for getting just about anything done in the near future.

"Queen Sally, where would you like the mantle?"

Sally turned around at the female voice coming from behind her.

"Thalia!? What are you doing here? I thought you were heading back to Olympia," the Queen exclaimed.

"I was called back by Artemis to take care of some business, but I may have put Zoë in charge to sneak out. I wouldn't miss this for the world. Plus, I was getting really tired of dealing with Nico and Jason, so I decided to head back."

Thalia had joined the Hunters of Artemis when she was sixteen (if she had aged, she would currently be twenty-three), and was at the head of the pack, which unfortunately restrained the time she could spend with her family both in Olympia and Corinth. It was very likely that she would have had to miss the wedding due to Artemis' calling her back. Zoë was her second-in-command, and therefore, Thalia had managed to escape her duties to attend Percy's wedding.

"I heard my name," came another voice from behind the door. Out walked Jason, Thalia's younger brother, who was both incredibly charming and notoriously troublesome.

Thalia let out a sigh while Sally just laughed, "Jason, dear, wonderful to see you. I need your help."

"I am at your service, my Queen."

"Aren't you just becoming oh so charming. Now if you could go help Matthew and Robert with the firewood, that would be of utmost help."

Jason dramatically feigned a sigh, "Oh you burden me so, dear aunt. Alas, I shall take care of it." With a theatric bow, he sauntered off towards the two Athenian princes lugging a large piece of firewood.

Thalia rolled her eyes and turned to face the Queen, "Why do I even try. Wherever I go, he's there. It's like I can't escape him."

"He's useful, and he's so kind to the staff. They insist that he stay around."

"I don't quite understand what they see in him. He's always around. They should've gotten tired of him by now, I would think. I know I have."

"To be fair, he is your brother. Naturally, you easily get annoyed by his presence. And he is Percy's cousin. I would think he'd attend the wedding. And I asked him to do some heavy lifting. As aggravating as he may be, he's strong, and that makes life easier for all of us."

"Must you ruin everything with logic, my Queen?"

Sally chuckled and sent Thalia off to fix up the floral arrangements for the guest rooms. Realizing how much time she'd spent fraternizing with her niece and nephew, the Queen ran off to fix at least seven mistakes that she could spot from her current standing position.

-Ω-

The party of five arrived in Corinth in silence, each consumed in their own thoughts, Malcolm of Annabeth, Grover of Percy, Piper of the future, Annabeth of Miranda, and Percy of Silena. They were pulled out of their reveries by the horn of the palace guards, indicating their arrival. Pulling up to the steps of the palace, Grover, Malcolm, and Percy jumped off their horses and helped Annabeth and Piper down, even if Annabeth had glared at them for suggesting she couldn't simply get off a horse by herself.

Annabeth looked on as Percy greeted several of the guards standing watch by the grand staircase that led up to the palace entrance. Suddenly, a beautiful woman with light brown hair and a golden crown resting on her hair appeared at the top of the stairs, eagerly awaiting their arrival. Annabeth took her to be Queen Sally. Behind the Queen trailed a young girl and two boys. The girl looked to be about sixteen or seventeen, with sleek, straight, shining black hair that was cut off at her shoulders. One of the boys looked to be around nineteen, maybe twenty years old, with dusty blonde hair and bright blue eyes that resembled the girl in front of him. Annabeth pegged them as siblings. The last boy was very pale with pitch black hair and dark eyes. He looked almost Italian, though Annabeth quickly ruled it out sensing the distance between the two countries. Realizing she was blatantly staring, the Athenian princess moved forward and up the stairs to greet the queen.

"Queen Sally, it is truly an honor and a pleasure to meet you again," Annabeth said, taking a deep bow.

"The same to you, Annabeth. You've grown to be extremely beautiful in the last 15 years," Sally said with a chuckle.

"Well, I would have hoped I had grown, my Queen." Annabeth quickly replied.

Noticing Piper behind Annabeth, Sally turned to the girl, "Piper McLean of Sparta, it really has been years, hasn't it? I just recently saw your Uncle and Aunt at a coronation."

"It has been quite a while, your majesty. I hope they are doing well, as are you," Piper responded politely, still not quite used to being addressed as someone with royal status.

"I'm sure she is well, though she had seemed to have forgotten my existence," came a voice from the bottom of the stairs. Percy walked up, teasingly glaring at his mother.

"Oh, hush Perseus. We have company," she reprimanded, before pulling him into a tight hug. "But I did miss you, my child," she whispered.

Detaching herself from her son, Sally moved to the people standing behind her. Annabeth noticed the familiarity that the Queen had with these three. It was very similar to the way she behaved with Percy.

"If I may introduce these three," she pointed to the girl with the short black hair. "This is Thalia, Percy's first cousin, and proud Huntress of Artemis."

Annabeth was impressed. It was a bold move to take in their age and time. Had she not been blessed with immortality, it's likely that Thalia would have been married off with three kids by this age.

Turning to the blonde boy, Sally said, "This is Jason, Thalia's brother, and heir to Olympia, seeing as Thalia joined the Hunt. And this," Sally began, diverting her attention towards the pale, dark-haired boy, "is Nico, Percy's other first cousin, and heir to the Italian emissary in Corinth. Now, Annabeth, Piper, Thalia will lead you to your rooms, and Malcolm, the boys will show you to your room and the minister meeting."

The group split up and went their separate ways, the travelers yearning for a bed to rest after several days.

-Ω-

Annabeth and Piper followed Thalia carefully, stepping lightly and tensely. Cautious to their new surroundings, they followed the Huntress of Artemis up the grand staircase that led to the right-wing of the palace where they would be staying. Catching wind of the tension that oozed from the Athenian and Spartan princesses, Thalia spoke up and broke the silence.

"You have nothing to worry about. You're in good hands in this palace."

"I'd hope," Piper replied. "This is our new home after all."

"You'll get used to it soon enough. The people here are very kind and love the royalty. Unlike other kingdoms, Queen Sally treats all her subjects like her own family." Seeing Annabeth's sour face, she immediately added, "And the Queen values her family more than anything in the world."

Annabeth, remained silent, straight-facedly staring ahead of them.

Piper, however, began to warm up to Thalia and began asking more questions about the latter's life in Olympia and with the Hunters.

After a few minutes, they arrived at their respective rooms. The girls were placed in adjacent rooms, both elegantly furnished with a large bedframe with their names engraved on the headboards as well as large dressers filled with their clothing that had been brought over before they left.

Thalia settled down on the sofa that sat in the corner of Annabeth's room.

"How do you like it?"

Annabeth stared in awe at the bookshelf that covered an entire wall of her room.

"How did you know?" she managed to say, without shifting her gaze from the rows and rows of parchment, scripts, and books.

Thalia grinned at the Athenian princess' surprise. "Well, other than the fact that you're the daughter of the Goddess of Wisdom, you're pretty much the biggest mystery in all of Greece. There are very few things that people know about you, but some of your old friends, attendants at the palace, have let some details regarding your life slip. Also, Grover may have helped."

Annabeth nodded, still staring at the wall of books.

Knowing that Annabeth would likely stay enamored with the bookshelf for a while longer, Thalia turned her attention to Piper.

"And what do you think?"

"It's beautiful," Piper replied, observing the evident effort that had gone into the decorating and setting up the rooms.

"Well, you can thank Aunt Sally for that," the Huntress pointed out, directing the princess to a dagger sheathed in black leather with a shining wooden hilt sticking out.

Piper walked over to the dresser and picked up the dagger. She pulled it out of its sheath and examined the blade. It was clearly forged from Celestial Bronze, and glimmered in the sunlight.

"Thank you, but what for?" Piper asked, sheathing the triangular blade.

"Annabeth is armed to the teeth. Whether or not she was treated like it, she was still Athenian royalty, and was therefore given access to the kingdom's armory. She has daggers strapped everywhere. You're no longer a hidden handmaid. You need protection."

Annabeth turned around at the mention of her name. "She's right, you know. I managed to get myself into the armory and took a few knives and swords. I'm also proficiently trained in sword fighting," she pulled up her skirt to reveal a dagger strapped to each thigh. "Thalia's right. You'll need it. I did, though I'm not quite sure how she knows." Continued the princess, pointedly staring at the niece of Corinth.

"I'm a huntress. I notice these things." She then turned back to Piper, "Its name is Katoptris. It once belonged to Helen of Troy. And though she may have only used it for its namesake, I think you'll find that it's more than just a mirror," she winked and turned to the door.

But before she could leave, Piper stopped her. "Oh! Thalia, wait. So, Jason… he's your brother?"

Thalia's eyes slightly widened, "He's infuriating. That's all you need to know."

"Just like his cousin," Annabeth muttered.

"Oh, this wedding is going to be great."

-Ω-

On the morning of the wedding, Percy woke up like it was any other day. In all honesty, getting married wouldn't really change his life all that much. Sure, he was legally creating a union between him and Annabeth, but that doesn't mean he would automatically fall in love with her and would change his life forever. He'd known her for only a few days and her dry wit and harsh exterior had already driven him to the point of insanity. He had a feeling the two wouldn't be in much contact with one another, even while living in the same structure. Essentially, the only difference would be two more people living in the palace. And his mother would have more company.

It would be a normal day. He'd get up, grab something to eat, shower, get dressed, and get along with what he needed to do that day. The only difference was that instead of attending meetings and signing documents, he'd be getting married. At least, that's how he had expected himself to feel. However, he didn't wake up with a heavy heart and mourning. He woke up happily. For the first time in the last three excruciating years, Crown Prince Perseus Jackson awoke with no guilt or disdain weighing heavily on his chest.

And it was unusual. Absolutely bizarre. He couldn't even manage to feel guilty about not feeling guilty. Which was confusing in itself, but was somehow still an emotion Percy often experienced. The sense of carefreeness, lightheartedness, was something that had been missing for his life since Silena's lifeless body crumpled to the ground under a malicious arrow that fateful day over three years prior.

He thought of Her, but his vision wasn't clouded like it had been in the past. He thought of the good times, horse-back racing, and sneaking around, spying on the adults. He didn't replay that one moment over and over until his head hurt and his eyes were overflowing with tears. It was like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders.

But he didn't know why. Today wasn't supposed to feel special. It was an ordinary day. But somehow, everything was changing. And the sun hadn't even fully risen yet.

-Ω-

Percy found himself in a race against the clock. It seemed that the more he wanted it to slow down, time only sped up. He hurriedly wrapped a towel around his waist and scrambled around his room to find the clothing that had been set out for him. After nearly tearing up his entire room, he found the outfit lying on the bed, the only place he had neglected to look.

On the bedsheets lay a formal cotton shirt and pants to go with him, an outfit that he had proudly selected himself the night before. Quickly throwing on his attire for the ceremony, he ran down to the Grand Hall, ultimately coming to a stop when he rammed into his cousin.

"You know, for a prince, you look awfully disheveled. And on your wedding day too," Thalia stated, with a disapproving nod.

"Well, I haven't much time before I need to be downstairs for the ceremony. Plus, does my appearance matter that much?"

"Yes. It matters. You're getting married, you _vlacas._ Get your act together. Also, I'm not sure if you know, but we've still two hours till the ceremony, so there's no need for you to be in such a rush."

Percy muttered a string of curses and promptly spun on his heel back towards his room.

"That's not very princely behavior!" Thalia hollered at the retreating Prince.

He turned his head, stuck out his tongue, and marched to his chamber.

"Neither is that, you know!"

-Ω-

It was her wedding day. And she was marrying a man she barely knew. She wasn't sure how her life had turned out like this, but somehow, luck had never really been on her side. She was leaving her home, the palace that she both hated and loved, which held memories of both of her father's lives- the one where he loved her and the one where he didn't.

But for some extremely odd reason, Annabeth didn't feel uncomfortable. She didn't feel uneasy about her future. She wouldn't go as far as to call it relief, but it wasn't necessarily upsetting in any sense. And that was the part that made her uncomfortable. It was a vicious cycle, really. But her life was strange as it was, so her confused feelings, were to be expected.

She was woken up the morning of by a shrill scream, coming from Piper's room. Panicked and ready for confrontation, she jumped out of bed and rushed to her friend's room, hand on the dagger that she kept with her- she was a princess, she needed to stay protected at all times.

"Piper! Is everything alright?"

The Spartan princess turned around to face Annabeth, a large smile spreading across her face, "Of course! You're getting married!"

Annabeth let out both a sigh of relief and an extensive eye roll.

"Gods, I got scared. Please, keep the shrieking to a minimum."

"But you're getting married! I think I'm allowed to get excited."

Annabeth shook her head and ducked to hide her smile, "It's not that big a deal. Now get up, we have to get ready."

Before she could finish speaking, Piper was up and shuffling through the wardrobe.

"I've got the dresses, Thalia said she'd get the makeup. Let's get you in front of a mirror," she listed off, pushing Annabeth into her room and shoving the dress in with her. "Smile! You're getting married!" she shouted at the glaring bride-to-be.

-Ω-

So, he was getting married. Chained down for the rest of the life. Secured for the throne. No big deal. No pressure.

Percy, after returning to his room, was ambushed by Jason, Nico, and several chambermaids. They collectively groaned at his outfit and shoved him into his personal bathroom. He was then handed a gold satin and polyester _chiton_ with a purple _chlamys,_ quite harshly too if he might add. With an incessant screaming of instructions outside his door, Percy hurriedly dressed and entered his chamber, the clothes he had picked out in hand.

"I still don't see what's wrong with what I selected. It's perfectly appropriate for such an occasion," he muttered, frowning at the cloth over his shoulder.

Nico rolled his eyes, "You looked ridiculous."

"It may be an arranged marriage, but you can't show up looking like you just woke up," Jason chimed in.

Percy scowled, "Excuse me, my outfit was plenty formal for a wedding."

"Maybe for someone else's, someone you disliked very much," Sally pitched, entering the room.

"This is just unfair. It's my wedding day. You shouldn't be ganging up on me."

"We're less likely to do so if you dressed like it."

"Oh, shut up."

Preparations with Annabeth were much less of a hassle than with Percy.

She stepped out of the room to find Thalia and Piper fully dressed with their hair and make-up done. And all in the time it took her to put her dress on. The girls turned to face Annabeth both gasping a little (though if you ask Thalia, she won't admit it).

Annabeth was in an asymmetrical dress with a gold belt cinching the waist. From her sleeved shoulder fell a purple cape signifying royal blood. The dress was elegant and flowed to the ground, with a sliver of her leg showing through the side. Her hair was twisted up into a braided bun with a single strand falling down her face. Large gold earrings were connected to the headdress that framed Annabeth's face. And though it was beautiful, the get-up was really quite uncomfortable if you asked her.

Her hands were decked with bracelets and bangles of all kinds. Though her father gave her little to nothing for the wedding, Sally had insisted on Annabeth borrowing her apparel. The only pieces of jewelry that Annabeth had worn out of wanting were a small silver bangle on her left wrist and a simple gold chain around her neck

The bangle had been placed on her wrist at birth and had been there when her father found her. It had been gifted to her by her mother, who'd had Hephaestus forge it for her daughter. The bangle would shape to her wrist, no matter her age and growth. It reminded her that her mother was by her side, whether it seemed like it or not. Annabeth had never taken it off, ever. By this point in her life, it was practically a part of her body.

The chain was a present from her father. He had given it to her when she was 5 years old. He had been gone for a week to Delphi with an emissary to speak to the Oracle about a small battle that he was involved in. Frederick had felt so bad about leaving his little girl by herself for a whole week that he found the best jeweler in all of Delphi to craft the necklace, making sure it was simple, but meaningful. The necklace was the only item of real value that she had purposely transported from Athens. Unlike the bangle, Annabeth reserved the necklace for special occasions. She had only worn it twice. Once for her father's wedding, and her own.

Piper and Thalia, after recovering from their initial shock, attacked Annabeth with all kinds of make-up, items she couldn't have even imagined. Sally joined the girls and added her own touches to the bride's ensemble.

Finally finished with their masterpiece, they yanked the book that she had somehow gotten ahold of out of Annabeth's hands and pushed her to a mirror. With a stamp of approval from the princess, who really just wanted to get back to her book, the pack of women were ushered to the grand hall in which the wedding was taking place.

Percy was seated on the floor in front of the sacrificial fire. The priest was adjacent to him, and an empty space had been left between the two for Annabeth. With the last of the guests arriving, the ceremony went into full swing.

-Ω-

He was staring. Point-blank staring, and he knew it. Just about everyone in the room knew it. And she did too. Percy couldn't help himself. He knew that Annabeth was pretty. He had noticed it before. But he had spotted flaws along with it earlier. Her eyes were too far apart, she had broken out along her hairline, her ears were abnormally pointy. But sitting next to her, on their wedding day, while the priest was yelling at Nico to grab more flowers and Jason to grab the rings, he couldn't notice a single flaw. And telling by the smirk resting on Annabeth's face, she was very aware of his staring.

She shifted slightly and he quickly averted his eyes.

"You don't look so bad yourself," she whispered, leaning over.

"We're getting married, we might as well enjoy ourselves," he whispered back.

"Let's not get carried away," Annabeth replied, unable to hold in a laugh.

Percy chuckled and turned back to the fire at the call of the priest.

They offered flowers and food, among other items, to the Gods, some of which (Aphrodite) were at the wedding themselves. The fire consumed many of the offerings, leaving a single flower in the midst of the ashes. As a sign that the Gods had received their sacrifices, the priest picked out the flower and handed it to Sally, who pinned it to Annabeth's hair.

The public was then allowed to greet the couple before they were officially married. Many smiled and blessed them, others bowed, some passed on nasty glares to Annabeth, and others to Percy. After a few minutes, the ceremony was resumed.

Because the two were being wedded to heal the division between two kingdoms, but more importantly, two legacies, they were made to hold a ritual to unify their two elements. And as strange as both of them found it, they agreed, lips tightly sealed for fear of an escaped laugh.

Percy was forcefully handed a glass tank-like container, nearly full of water. Annabeth was roughly given an olive branch. Doing as they were told, as per custom, Annabeth placed the olive branch atop the small spring of water to supposedly signify the newfound peace between Athena and Poseidon.

The priest called them back to the pyre and made them exchange rings. By this point, the whole wedding was just a big joke to both Percy and Annabeth, so they both hurriedly slipped the rings on one another's fingers and were ready to bolt.

"I now declare thee, Crown Prince Perseus Jackson and Crown Princess Annabeth Chase Jackson, heirs to the throne of Athens, city of Athena, and Corinth, land of Poseidon."

The crowd began to cheer, whistles and applause. But as it died down, a shrill, ear-piercing war cry was heard. Heads turned, eyes wandered, looking for the source of the noise. Suddenly, a brown-headed blur raced past the crowds of people.

The figure looked to be female, slim-figured and somewhat young. She was agile, and she had covered her face with a scarf, so only a sliver of her eyes could be made out, brown, bright, and bold. Her hair was short, as if it had been rashly chopped off by a blade.

She had two unsheathed swords in her hands and sprinted bare foot through the castle. With the surprise of her attack, she managed to knock down three guards, while several more were chasing after her.

Sally, Jason, and Nico began frantically ushering the guests out, yelling instructions to the servants to call the security and leave the palace themselves.

The girl ran extremely fast, almost as if the wind carried her, in a matter of seconds, she had slit the throats of the three guards who she had knocked out earlier. Three men, all with families to support. With several children each, young children too.

More guards ran at her, grabbing hold of her, but with one quick blow to the head, one by one, they fell. She slashed every painting in the hall and knocked down every single item that she could lay her hands out.

She then directed her attention towards Annabeth, who pulled out and unsheathed her dagger.

"Little Princess," the girl whispered through a strangled voice. "Nice to put a face to the name."

She ran at Annabeth, only to be thwarted by Piper, who held Katoptris against the girl's throat. However, the girl, thinking ahead, slid out from Piper's grip and turned the knife on her. The Spartan Princess didn't dare to move, and stood incredibly still, breathing slowly and lightly.

The girl laughed loudly, spreading her arms, "I've got your precious Princess. Try and stop me."

Thalia pulled out her bow and began to take aim, pinning down both of the girl's arms. Piper slipped her grasp and ran back to Annabeth, both girls ready to attack when necessary. The few guards who had yet to be knocked down took hold of the girl and began to drag her away.

She winced as she pulled the arrows out of her arms. She turned to face the royal family who stood in shock behind her.

"Annabeth Chase. I will find you. I will hurt you. I will kill you."

With that, she broke away from the guards and sprinted off, out of sight within minutes.

"Three units. Get a search party. Find any accomplices. Seven men died today. It will not happen again. I want three units to find this girl. Go," ordered Sally.

Aphrodite, who had stood to the side this whole time, turned to the Queen, surveying the situation.

"Sally, it's time. Take them." The Goddess then took her full form and flashed away.

A distraught Sally turned to her attendant who stood behind her, "Get the chariot ready. Two protection units. Now."

The Queen faced the group of young royals who stood silent, still in shock, "Perseus, Annabeth, there's a chariot waiting outside. Get in. We're going to Delphi."

* * *

 **It's longer than usual, so I hope it makes up for me being gone for forever and a day. I wanna thank all of you for being so supportive, regardless of my sporadic update schedule. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon, but only time will tell.**

 **I just wanted to reply to a couple of reviews:**

 **Rick R:** I know that their interactions have been limited, but that'll change soon enough. They haven't really met or had the chance to talk. Both of them were forced to get married to stop war, so their marriage isn't by choice. Therefore, they've kept their interactions to a minimum.

 **Percabeth824:** Thank you for being so incredibly supportive throughout the entirety of this story, even when i don't update for months together. I really appreciate it!

 **Thank you all so much!**

 **Love,**

 **-AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

 **"We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act upon. That's who we really are."**

 **-Sirius Black**

 **15 years prior**

 _The young girl sprinted through the halls of her home, a small, modest castle resting in the depths of a small village. She was tired, only seven years of age, but brave. She kept running, her sleek, brown hair sweeping the air as she sped through the innumerable corridors. She knew someone was following her, and she would have to shake them off. She saw a silhouette just a few steps behind her and dived into the hallway on her right. She turned into the large room directly to her left and locked the door._

 _Breathing heavily, she spun around, "How long was that?"_

 _The woman in front of her smiled, "Your best time yet. I'm proud of you, Nadia. So young, but so willingly to fight for what you love."_

 _"Thank you, Mother. But this is not good enough. If I am to face our newest threats, then I must be faster, stronger, smarter. We could be under attack at any moment. How am I to defend our country, defend our people, if I cannot fight what is placed in front of me?"_

 _"Do not worry, my dear. With every day, you are becoming more powerful. You are destined to protect your people, and under Mithra's blessing, you will fulfill your destiny. Now, why don't you go downstairs and eat. You must be hungry. Your father will take you to the temple in one hour, so you must get ready as well. Take care child."_

 _-Ω-_

The chariot raced through the streets of Delphi, narrowly avoiding pedestrians and horses. The journey had been long, but necessary. The Corinthian palace faced imminent danger and visiting the Oracle was pertinent to saving the kingdom and its people. Sally sat in the back of the carriage, frantically running through every possible situation they may face along the journey. The newly married heirs to the throne of both Corinth and Athens were the talk of the entire city-state union. All of Greece was very aware of the couple and even more anxious to get a view of them under the protective sheltering of the chariot carriage.

The trip was quiet, the royals still recovering from the previous day's events. They finally arrived outside of a large, beautiful palace. The King of Delphi stood at the foot of the stairs, smiling sympathetically. He was a young boy, son of Apollo, whose mother had passed away when he was but 10 years of age. Having taken the crown and its responsibilities at a young age, he was mature and wise past his age. He was an old acquaintance of Annabeth and a very good friend of Nico, which made it much easier for Sally, Annabeth, and Percy to stay there during their trip.

"Annabeth, it has been so long. It's wonderful to see you."

"You as well, Will. I really do wish this reunion had been under less somber circumstances."

Will nodded grimly and greeted Percy and Sally as well.

"Queen Sally, Prince Perseus, it's an honor. Please make yourself at home. The journey to the Oracle can be tense and troubling. So, if there are any concerns, feel free to let me know."

"Of course. Thank you for your hospitality on such short notice."

"Any time, now please follow me. I'm sure it was a long journey. Take some rest before heading out to meet the Oracle."

"As much as we wish to, we must head to the Oracle as soon as possible. If you don't mind, we will settle in our rooms before leaving. Once again, thank you," Sally graciously replied.

"As you wish," Will directed them to their rooms and left them to themselves.

-Ω-

Sally took a seat on the bed in the room that she and Annabeth would be sharing for the next day.

It was a well-decorated room. Lavish for having been put together on just a day's notice. The walls were a deep red to distract from the gleaming yellow of the sheets. A nightstand stood in the corner with fresh linens and towels. It was a fancy room, but the clashing colors were extremely headache-inducing and unwelcoming. But Will was kind enough to let them stay, so they wouldn't be complaining.

Annabeth took a deep breath and took a seat on her bed, adjacent to Sally's. She spent a few moments debriefing the events of the past few days and the chaos which had unfolded at her expense. It was definitely a lot to go through, but she was strong. She could handle it.

Noticing the blank stare across Annabeth's face, Sally turned to face her daughter-in-law/

"Annabeth, dear, I'm so sorry that all of this was thrown at you at once. I know it must be a lot to handle. The new environment, the wedding, and now this unexpected travel. If there is ever an issue, I will always be here for you."

"Thank you, my Queen. It's been difficult to adjust, but I don't mind the change. It's a breath of fresh air."

"Oh, enough with the title rubbish. To you, I'm Sally. We're family now. Now come, we must leave. Unfortunately, this Oracle business is aggravatingly time consuming."

"I've only heard rumors about her. What exactly does the process entail?"

"Oh, it's nothing too burdensome. If it's a particularly busy day, the wait can be horrendous. But other than that, it's a simple prophecy. We're taking a scribe to write it down because her words are so cryptic that even your mother has trouble deciphering them."

"I've read many books about the _Pythia,_ but I've never really understood the root of her visions. Does Apollo receive them as well?"

"It's quite confusing really, but Apollo merely appoints the Oracle and gifts her the poetic style. The Head Priestess of the Temple of Delphi is only put in place if she receives visions before taking the emblem of the Oracle. Most Oracles are full mortals. We don't see many Oracles who are children of Gods."

Annabeth nodded, fascinated with the topic. Having always been a person of reason rather than belief, she found the concept of an Oracle to be strange and somewhat overhyped. But then again, she herself was the daughter of a Goddess. In her world, nothing was impossible.

"Oh my, we're much too late. Annabeth dear, do me a favor and get Percy. Tell him to freshen up and meet us outside by the chariot in ten minutes," Sally announced, startling Annabeth who was still buried deep in thought about the famous _Pythia._

"Of course, my Qu-Sally," the princess replied, catching herself.

\- Ω-

Annabeth approached Percy's room and knocked on the door. Receiving no response, she let herself in and called for her husband. She walked up to the bed only to find Percy fast asleep with his expensive clothes strewn across the floor.

"Perseus… Perseus? PERSEUS."

Annabeth relentlessly tried to wake the sleeping prince, but was met with no success.

Having nearly given up, she ran to the bucket of water sitting at the bedside and grabbed a nearby mug. She filled it up and tiptoed to the bed (the tiptoeing was fairly unnecessary, had she stomped like a ferocious beast chasing his next meal, Percy probably would have remained asleep).

She slowly tilted the mug and let the water trickle down onto the Prince's face. As the first drop made contact with his skin, Percy leaped out of bed and turned to face the sly princess behind him.

"Why on this _wretched_ Earth would you do that?" he uttered, pronouncing every syllable with the utmost anger he could summon in that moment.

Annabeth was unfazed by the Prince's charade, "Believe me, this was a last resort. But look on the bright side, now you won't have to wash your face when you put on the clothes that you so recklessly cast on the floor in the ten minutes that you were left to yourself."

The Athenian heir spun on one heel and marched to the door, turning back only to say, "Your mother wants you downstairs in five minutes. Close your mouth and get dressed."

Percy, despite everything had Annabeth said, stood gaping as she swiftly left the room.

\- Ω-

"Perseus Jackson, get your royal ass in that chariot right now. You're half an hour late and now we're going to have to wait an _extra_ half hour because of you," Sally berated as Percy arrived in front of the castle, approximately 35 minutes after Annabeth's visit.

Speak of the devil, Annabeth sat straight in the carriage seat with her legs crossed like the perfect princess that she was, a sly smirk resting on her lips. Percy rolled his eyes and got in beside her, making room for Sally across from them.

"Let's go. We're already running late," Sally instructed the coachman, throwing an all-knowing glare at her son.

Upon arrival, both Annabeth let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. With the luck of her last few days, the odds were in favor of only more danger along the journey. She stepped down from the chariot and surveyed the desolate area surrounding the cave/temple in which the Oracle resided. A priest stood at the cave entrance and bowed upon seeing the party.

"Queen Sally of Corinth, we have been expecting you. Prince Perseus, Princess Annabeth, please, follow me. The Oracle is ready. Your Majesty, I must ask you to stay behind. Only the people who the prophecy is directed to and a scribe are allowed in direct confrontation with the Priestess."

Sally nodded knowingly and motioned for Percy and Annabeth to follow the priest.

The royals trailed behind the priest quietly and anxiously, unassuming, but also frightened for what the future may hold. They travelled deeper into the cave-turned-temple and came to the stop in front of a golden altar with a shrouded figure sitting atop the platform.

"The _Pythia_ holds your future in her hands. She is the direct messenger of Apollo, and she holds the truth that you are afraid to hear. May the blessing of Apollo be upon you. Be warned, for what you understand may differ from what you hear." The priest bowed again and disappeared into the shadows.

The figure on the platform was now clearly visible. Her status was evident in her attire, covered in gold jewelry and silk. A small crown, a symbol for her priesthood, rested on her temples as she lifted her head up to face the young heirs to the largest kingdoms in the country.

"I am the _Pythia_ and you wish to see your future. Once the Oracle takes over, my answer will be cryptic. Keep this in mind as you listen."

As she finished speaking, a green mist arose from her torso. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her head fell back. Her voice was deep and brooding, almost mystical in her speech.

" _Brought by the union of ocean and mind,_

 _The people of Mithra the Greeks must find._

 _Havoc will rise from the child of frost,_

 _A life saved will be a life lost._

 _Peace must solve a conflict of the past,_

 _Death will reunite your kin at last."_

Annabeth and Percy stood shocked at the sight they beheld. The scribe that had accompanied them was shaking as he documented the chilling prophecy. They returned to the chariot in fear.

"They say ignorance is bliss," Percy whispered as the travelled back to the cave's entrance.

"But they also say knowledge is power," Annabeth replied quietly.

Sally paced in front of the chariot, anxiously awaiting the couple. When she saw them approaching, their faces ashen and cold, her shoulders drooped and her face grew stern.

"How bad was it?" The scribe handed the Queen the tablet with the prophetic inscription.

Without a word, Sally entered the carriage and signaled the others in. They rode with sparse conversation, all deeply engrossed in the meaning of the prophecy that gave them an undistorted glimpse at their futures.

Arriving at the palace, Annabeth passed a Will a somber look which warned him not to pry. Eating quickly with spare small talk, Sally, Percy, and Annabeth returned to their rooms.

"We leave for Corinth at 6:00 AM sharp. No exceptions. The faster we return, the faster we can decrypt this goddamn prophecy."

Percy was put-off by his mother's instructions, but didn't dare argue with her. He reluctantly nodded and headed back to his room.

"A prophecy once uttered cannot be reversed," Annabeth muttered as she settled in bed.

Sally nodded, "While the word of prophecy may skirt the truth, once the first line comes true, there is no preventing the chain of events. And the union of ocean and mind has been officiated. The words of the Oracle have come true. The prophecy has been set in stone. And there's no stopping it now."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Sorry about the delay. I meant to post this like three weeks ago, but I forgot to edit it. And then I did edit it, and then I thought I posted it, and it turns out I didn't. So I edited it again and now here we are.**

 **I'm very proud of that prophecy up there. It's been intricately plotted through the story (not really) and I'm really happy with how it turned out. I don't know how Rick Riordan wrote so many of them. I was busting my ass writing one, and he's churning out like five per book.**

 **I had wayy too much fun writing the whole Percy/Annabeth scene in the middle. The majority of this story is just the two of them flirting and fighting, which is honestly so much fun to write. I love having them argue or be snarky.**

 **I usually do some stuff for the holidays, but because I barely have time to breath these days, that's probably not likely this year.**

 **I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving break- I know I needed it**

 **If you read this far, comment your predictions on the prophecy. I want to see what you think.**

 **Thanks,**

 **Love,**

 **-AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter**


	15. Chapter 15

**So I'm awful for not updating this long, but time is not my friend, as I have learned of late. So please bear with my sporadic updates. I promise this story will keep coming. Just not on a regular schedule. So enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

 **"You get into the biggest fights with the people you care about most, because those are the relationships worth fighting for."**

 **-Unknown**

 _"Nadia dear, please don't run off. It's quite tiring chasing after you. I'm getting old, you know."_

 _"Of course, father." The little girl grinned, "I definitely would not disagree with that statement."_

 _"Oh, come here, troublemaker," her father chuckled as he held the child tightly._

 _Bursts of laughter left the child as she squirmed in her father's arms, "Let go, Papa! Let go!"_

 _Out of breath, the father and daughter fell back onto the grass outside their home._

 _"We mustn't tell your mother that we spent so much time. She'll have our heads if you are not back in training by 4:00 sharp. And it's currently 3:57, so you better run!"_

 _Nadia chortled and sprinted off to get ready for her extensive training. She was a brave young girl, always willing to sacrifice the liberties of a regular child to train for her country. After all, she was the destined savior. Her birth mother had selected her parents because this was where she belonged._

 _She ran like the wind, breezing past everyone around her like a chill frost. Her training had long been hypothetical. Maybe this will happen, maybe that will happen. While she trained her ass off every day, she didn't believe that she would ever have to or have the chance to, fight off a large threat. And she was plenty fine with that. But fate was tricky that way. It was her destiny. And whether she wanted it or not, it would have to be fulfilled._

-Ω-

"No! Absolutely not."

"Oh, get your head out of your ass, you're entirely wrong."

"Do you understand how utterly stupid you sound?"

"I'm not the one who sounds stupid here. I am the daughter of Athena, the goddess of wisdom, for Hades' sake.

Piper broke up the bickering couple. "Listen. Ever since both of you came back from Delphi, you've been arguing nonstop about the most random things. Does it really matter whether the olive tree or the spring was more helpful to the Athenian people? The two of you got married to solve the very dispute. Now _please_ be quiet. Can't a girl just enjoy her breakfast without the two future monarchs of practically the entire city-state union incessantly fighting for absolutely no reason?"

Annabeth rolled her eyes, "Oh, shut up. I've discovered that my husband is a stuck-up, intolerable imbecile. I'm not going to recover from it that easily."

Percy groaned, "And my wife is an obnoxious, know-it-all narcissist. My situation isn't easy to handle either."

Piper simply shook her head and turned to the man beside her. "Jason, I've tried. And I'm done trying. Your turn."

"Alright then. So there were plans to put you two in adjacent bedro- oh, don't make those faces. You're married goddamn. We are definitely changing the plan now. We now might put you in separate wings altogether. So much for civility."

"Wonderful. I don't know how much more of her I can handle."

"Same here. I've been ignored my whole life and I would much prefer that to dealing with him."

"My gods. You've only been married for two weeks!" Nico cut in.

The couple jumped back into arguing, completely ignoring Jason, Piper, and Nico, who continued to sit at the table and exasperatedly pick at their breakfasts.

To the relief of the bystanders, Rachel, Annabeth's new royal assistant, knocked at the entryway and came in. Percy and Annabeth immediately stopped arguing and sat up straight, as any royal was taught to do.

"Rachel, to what do I owe the pleasure of your arrival?" Annabeth asked, kindly.

"Your Majesty, I don't mean to interrupt, but you and the Queen have a session with the palace astrologist. In ten minutes, by the way. Drew is waiting to get you dressed and ready. Also, right after that, you and Crown Prince have a meeting with the public to explain the possible conflict and to share the prophecy. Thank you for your time." Rachel bowed and scurried out of the room, careful to not make eye contact with anyone on her path out.

"We should probably get going then," Annabeth said.

"We probably should."

-Ω-

"Your Majesty, if I may ask, must we really seek an astrologist? I feel that it is quite unnecessary. No one but the Oracle knows the true meaning of the prophecy. Will an astrologist give us any useful insight that could help us any more than a simple guess?" Annabeth asked her mother-in-law as they traveled down a large staircase to the palace astrologist.

"It's a whole load of bullshit if you ask me, but to my great misfortune, I have a whole team of very superstitious advisors who insist on visiting that fake," Sally remarked passingly.

Annabeth was taken aback by the Queen's quick and dismissive tone, but her respect for the Queen only increased upon the remarks.

They continued to chat amiably for a few more minutes while walking to the astrologist's quarters. Upon arriving, Sally knocked on the door and led Annabeth to an intricately (albeit strangely) designed carpet depicting gruesome bloodshed and vivid romanticism combined in a questionable manner.

When Annabeth pointed it out, Sally rolled her eyes and glared at the oblivious astrologist. They took their seats on the carpet and waited for the man to begin.

"Ah, my queen, the princess, how do you do?"

Sally politely nodded. "Here's the prophecy. What do you have to say?" She asked impatiently.

The astrologist took his fair time, reading and re-reading the few lines of prophecy, examining every detail, much to Sally's chagrin.

"The union of ocean and mind. A strange phrase. How would that form? An immortal being, I imagine. We might have to sacrifice a cow, pull its brains out of its head, and throw it into the sea. That would work. Yes, that should do. How about tomorrow? My queen, we could easily arrange that."

Annabeth, quite exhausted with the man's spew of nonsense, interrupted his long, senseless tangent, "That will be quite unnecessary. We are well aware of the meaning of the first line. It alludes to my marriage to the prince. If that is the extent of the information that you have for us, we shall be on our way."

"Oh, no no no. That will not be needed. Stay, I shall interpret the rest. A life lost. Someone will die. That is certain."

"That shall be sufficient," Sally announced. "The Princess has to attend a public meeting now, and she has to get ready. We'll keep your _wonderful_ advice in mind. Thank you."

Almost dragging her daughter-in-law, Sally walked out of the small room as fast as she could.

"Annabeth dear, you head on up to your chambers to get ready. I need to talk to my minister about replacing that moronic astrologist."

Annabeth nodded, growing more and more fond of her husband's mother as the day grew, and quickly ran up to her rooms to get ready.

-Ω-

 _It was almost as if she had tempted fate. She had hoped she would never have to fight, would never have to risk her life for her country. And the next day, she was forced to._

 _"Nadia, hurry!" Her aunt called from down the corridor. On one end was her old room, set aflame by the invading troops. On the other was the exit. The second she walked out of those doors, her fate was sealed. She would never be able to return to her home, never be able to run through the halls, giggling and being chased by her friends, never be able to gossip with the servants or run errands for the cook, never be able to see her parents. Ever again._

 _And at that moment, the young girl, eyes brimming with tears, ran towards her aunt, forsaking life as she knew it, and bidding her family goodbye. They sprinted out of the palace gates, just crossing the gates as her home was enveloped in flames, taking the servants, the wealth, and her parents with it._

 _'I must be brave. I must not shed my tears. I must hold them and be strong, for that is what Mother would have wanted. That was what Father would have advised me to do. And for their sake, I shall remain emotionless. Calm. And powerful.' Nadia leaned into her aunt's embrace, limping along with her to the groundskeeper cottage. It had been disguised as a simple shack in the case of such an attack, but was filled with resources and build with inflammable material._

 _They entered the cottage and were greeted by Nadia's uncle. Her mother's brother. He looked up expectantly at his wife who simply shook her head. The elder man collapsed into his wife's arms, shaking with sobs. He reached out to Nadia, who hugged him with minimal solace and left his embrace to take a seat on the wooden bench in the corner. She was angry. She was upset. She was hurt. But she wouldn't let one incident, no matter how large, break her._

 _She would get her vengeance. She will make them pay. She would shake the very foundation of the lives. When she was finished with them, they would never forget Nadia, daughter of Goddess Vata. They would shiver in her presence, her name sending fear throughout their homelands. The wind harshly beating against them. And they would be sorry they ever touched her family._

-Ω-

The security detail was threefold that on their wedding day. After the surprise attacker, they could never be too cautious.

"Please remain behind the barricade at all times. There is to be no physical contact with anyone on the other side of the blockade," Travis, the head of the protection forces, announced.

"We can't be blunt. We have to sugarcoat it as much as possible without making it seem trivial," Annabeth stated.

"No, we should just show them the prophecy outright and let them interpret it for themselves. We have to give them the cold, hard facts. They deserved to know the whole truth," Percy voiced.

"They can't lose hope. That's the only thing that will earn us their support. We need them to be hopeful."

"That's dishonest-"

"Please remain behind the barricade at all times. There is to be no physical contact with anyone on the other side of the blockade."

Percy continued, "We'll gain zero support if we don't just tell them what's going on."

"No. We can't just throw it in their faces, they need to gradually be given all the information."

"Seriously. They need all the information."

"No, they don't."

"Please remain behind the barricade at all times. There is to be no physical contact with anyone on the other side of the blockade."

"TRAVIS!" both royals shouted. The man shrugged and continued to yell at people who came even an inch over the protective fence.

"Listen, if we don't tell them, we'll lose their trust."

"And if we do, we'll lose their support and hope."

"Tell them."

"No, absolutely not."

"We have to."

"No, we can't."

Thalia approached the arguing couple. "Is this really the place for your quarrels? Straighten up and go take a seat. It's about to begin."

Annabeth and Percy walked over to the large thrones placed at the center of the platform which was surrounded by concerned villagers and large bodyguards. They linked their arms and smiled widely, waving at the villagers as they made their way 'onstage'.

Sally addressed the audience in a kind manner, trying not to scare them too much. "As you all know, there has been a prophecy released regarding the future of our kingdom, our country, and it is of utmost importance. Please do not be afraid. We are Corinth. We have Athens by our side. We are strong and we are united. I present Crown Prince Perseus Jackson and Crown Princess Annabeth Chase-Jackson. They will answer your questions and show you the prophecy."

The crowd applauding politely, albeit nervously. Sally brushed past the couple, whispering to them. "Be reassuring, answer their questions, be brave, then show them the prophecy."

The royals nodded and put on a strong front as they faced the crowd.

"We face a danger. But it is not one that we can't fight against. There is a unique power which comes in hope, in faith. And that is one that we must have," Annabeth pronounced, eloquently.

"We are a nation, previously defined by division and disunity. But we no longer go by that name. We are now one people. We are strong and we are united. We cannot let anything divide us if we are to tackle this challenge. It will not be easy, but it can be done."

"We are going to unveil the prophecy that we received on our trip to Delphi two weeks ago. Like any other prophecy, this one contains riddles. Most of which are extremely difficult to decipher. They contain different meanings and can be interpreted in various ways. The exact event cannot be predicted before it happens, but we are given warning for the events soon to follow. Prince Perseus will reveal the exact words of the _Pythia_."

Percy cleared his throat and unraveled the scroll with the dreaded prophecy engraved on it.

 _"Brought by the union of ocean and mind,_

 _The people of Mithra the Greeks must find._

 _Havoc will rise from the child of frost,_

 _A life saved will be a life lost._

 _Peace must solve a conflict of the past,_

 _Death will unite your kin at last."_

Quiet murmurs arose from the vast crowds of people gathered in front of the palace. Panic began to spread as people interpreted the prophecy in their own ways, each taking it for worse than the last.

Annabeth hastily tried to offer words of comfort to the audience, but was unsuccessful in her endeavor.

Had Annabeth or Percy been more observant, they would have noticed the hooded figure in the back of the crowd, simply staring at the people surrounding her, secretly smiling to herself, like she knew something. Something important. Something crucial. Something that nobody else around her knew.

* * *

 **So once again, I'm sorry about the whole not updating thing. I don't exactly have a valid excuse. And the chapter is pretty short too, which is awful. But I've been so busy and this has been the last thing on my mind recently.**

 **Anyway, I hope you all had a wonderful conclusion to 2017 and a happy new year! I hope to write more this year- you can expect some fun stuff this summer, so make sure to follow, favorite, review, whatever it is that you wanna do.**

 **Now about the story: I want your opinions on Nadia, first of all. So if you're still reading this, let me know what you think she has to do with this whole story, cuz I really wanna know what you think.**

 **Also, I love making Percy and Annabeth argue over nothing. They've been married for like a week and they've been at each other's throats constantly. Let me know if you want more of it because it is just so much fun to write.**

 **Thank you for putting up with me and being so supportive!**

 **Special shoutout to Percabeth824 who has been so incredibly supportive throughout the entirety of this story. So whoever you are, wherever you are, thank you so much. It means a lot to hear that my writing is making someone happy. It's people like you who motivate me to keep doing this, despite the difficulty of making time for it. So once again, thank you!**

 **Love you all! See you next time,**

 **-AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey guys! It's been a while and I deeply apologize, but I promise there will soon be more frequent updates. Check out the AN at the bottom for more info. Enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 16**

 **"Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live."**

 **-Norman Cousins**

 _The wind pushed against her, holding her back from the remains of her old home. Just a few feet ahead of her stood the palace that she had called home just days ago. She yearned to go back, her heart ached at the sight of the ashes that had once been her entire childhood. She suppressed the urge to sob. Innumerable emotions pushed at her heart as the scream formed on her lips. She let it out, a deafening noise, poised to kill. But it was muffled by the forceful wind._

 _Nadia knew that she shouldn't go back. She knew that if she tried, she could get killed. That if she was killed, what little family she had remaining would stand no chance. But she was young, she was reckless, she wasn't thinking. She pushed back against the wind, manipulating it at her will. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, she was unable to resist its power. The wind had always been her friend. It had cooperated with her for as long as she could imagine, so to have it work against her was out of the ordinary._

 _Suddenly, Nadia felt a chill go down her spine as the temperature dropped drastically. She shivered and tried to run off the cold, but she couldn't move. There was a barrier around her. Not quite ice, not quite snow, but something else. Frost-like, even. A cyclone circled her, lifting the young girl into the air. She called for help, but her voice was lost in the wind. She began spinning mid-air, her body unwillingly propelling itself to her aunt's safehouse. Her stiff body crumpled to the floor, hitting her head on the door. Her uncle heard the noise and opened it, helping Nadia get up._

 _The wind whirled outside as if it was speaking. Her uncle looked up and upon seeing the cyclone, bowed and nodded, whispering a 'thank you'. Nadia rose and hauled herself to the small fire to warm up, only to realize that she didn't feel cold in the slightest. Her hands had regained their usual flush and her ears were rather warm, to be honest._

 _"I-how-what?" Nadia stuttered in confusion._

 _Her aunt rose, eyes fierce and burning with a passionate fire. Her shoulders were held back, her hair was back up in its stiff bun. It would be near impossible to discern that she had just lost her home and a large portion of her family._

 _"Nadia Tehrani Nasrin Jahandar. Do you wish to get yourself killed? You have a life to live and a destiny to fulfill. The Greeks would have decimated you in a matter of seconds had you gone even another inch closer to the palace. You were lucky that your mo- "_

 _"Zarine, please," she was interrupted by her husband._

 _"No Parizad. She must know," Zarine declared._

 _"She must not. It was sworn on Mithra that we would only tell her on her sixteenth birthday."_

 _"No, it was sworn that we would tell her either on her sixteenth birthday or when her parents had passed away, whichever came first. And as far as we're aware, Yasmin and Shapour are dead. We cannot hold back this knowledge any longer."_

 _Zarine turned to face Nadia, "There is something you must know."_

-Ω-

"I really do wish they would stop arguing," Piper exclaimed, seated at the breakfast table.

"As do I, but what can we do? They're married, they're old enough to deal with it," Thalia remarked unbothered as she continued to pick at her breakfast. "I must ask why anyone thought putting arugula on bread would ever be a good idea. I don't care for a leaf that makes my tongue feel like it has been slathered by sandpaper."

Nico rolled his eyes. "Arugula is a delicacy if you weren't aware. I bet you everyone on the streets of Corinth dreams of a single leaf on their plates. It is most definitely the best plant-based dish on this Earth."

Thalia scoffed and ignored her cousin, turning back to Piper, "So, how are you liking Corinth?"

"It's beautiful, and a much-needed shift from that room in Athens. I haven't been treated this well since my time in Sparta, which was much too long ago to remember."

"That's good to hear. Anything special? _Anyone_ special?"

Piper's cheeks tinted a light red, "I-um, th-the food is wonderful. And all of your company is great as well," she said, gesturing to the large group spread out around the table, pausing for a split-second at Jason, who, as oblivious as ever, didn't notice.

"You _really_ must be enjoying our company, I see," Annabeth chimed in, taking a break from bickering with Percy to slight her head in the direction of the blonde Olympian heir.

"The food, huh? Is it the eye-candy?" Thalia pitched, getting a high-five from Nico and a look of confusion from Jason.

"What in Hades are you saying? I honestly don't understand," Percy stated.

"Well, looks like nothing has changed," came a voice from the dining room entrance.

Recognizing the voice immediately, Percy swung around and rushed to greet their new visitor. The two shared a quick hug before the man came by to greet Nico, Thalia, and Jason. He took a seat at the table and gave Percy a pointed look.

"Care to introduce me?" he asked.

"Oh, of course," Percy gestured towards the two women sitting beside him. "This is Piper McLean, heir to the Spartan throne, and this is Annabeth Chase, heir to the Athenian throne. Annabeth, Piper, this is Charles Beckendorf, my cousin.

Annabeth glared at Percy and turned to face her husband's cousin, "Pleasure to meet you, Charles. I am Annabeth Chase- _Jackson, wife_ of your cousin, heir to both the thrones of Athens _and_ Corinth."

Charles laughed, "The pleasure is all mine. Percy needs someone to put him in his place. You'll be good for his ego. And you as well, Ms. McLean, nice to meet you."

Percy rolled his eyes, "Minor details. Anyway, come along, Annabeth has some meetings, but I'm free for a few hours. We'll go catch up."

Charles followed Percy out of the room while Annabeth burned holes into Percy's back with her eyes.

-Ω-

"So, how have things been going?" Percy asked.

"Everything has been running fairly smoothly. We've finally managed to get everything under control. A few riots here and there, but out of respect, people have generally stayed out of our way."

Percy nodded gravely, "I get it, I really do. It's been a few years, but it still hits close to home."

Charles cleared his throat, "Forget the depressing stuff. Tell me about the wedding, about Annabeth, about the prophecy, all of it."

"Unless you want me to explain minute by minute what happened in the last year, you're going to have to be more specific."

"Okay, fine. Tell me about Annabeth. What is she like? Are you in love with her? Explain."

"First of all, no, absolutely not in love. She's insufferable. I have no other words to describe her. Always arguing, conceited, stuck up, convinced she's right. She's pretty, sure. Blonde hair, nice figure, yadda yadda, but then she looks at you with those frightening as shit eyes and suddenly you want to run back to bed and pretend you never woke up in the first place. I swear, there's a demon inhibiting her because no human can be that intolerable," Percy said, all in one breath.

Charles smirked, "Mmhm. You're saying this now. Just you wait. After all, she's your wife. It's only been a few months and you're surrounded by all these people in the heat of all this prophecy business. Just wait until Thalia and Nico have to return. Sure, Piper is still here, but if she and Jason continue looking at each other like that, they're going to be married with 17 kids in a year. So, don't bank on them."

"I don't see where this is going other than to depress me eternally."

"You didn't let me finish. With everyone gone and Aunt Sally and Uncle Paul in another wing of the palace, you and Annabeth are going to be alone for long periods of time. Trust me, this mutual disdain will no longer be an issue at that point."

"And you know this because…"

"Because, my dear cousin, I was in a very similar situation with your best friend," Charles answered casually.

"That's a lie. You were instantly in love with her the second you met her."

"And who told you this?"

Percy hesitated, "Silena did. She used to talk about how there never was a moment where you two weren't smitten."

"You were a young child. You looked up to us. Do you really think we would have told you how much we hated each other when we met? I believe I used the words 'insufferable, conceited, know-it-all'. Very similar to your description of a certain someone."

Percy was shocked, "No. What? How? What happened? Why has nobody told me this?"

Charles laughed, "We were arranged when we were six or seven years old. Imagine being told that the annoying six-year-old girl that you absolutely cannot stand is going to be the woman you spend the rest of your life with. We could not tolerate each other. But we made a deal that when we were around you, we would be agreeable. Outside of that, we had a relationship similar to yours and Annabeth's."

"How did I miss that?"

"I guess we were just good actors. Anyway, only when she was around 16, I was 17, did I realize that maybe I didn't hate her as much as I thought I did. We were getting officially engaged in a year, and we figured we'd try to get along. They left us alone for stretches of time, hoping we would talk and get to know each other. Eventually, we caved and one thing led to another. You get the picture."

"Okay, hold on. I was 13 at that point. I thought you guys were best friends since you were like nine years old. You lied to me for 8 years?! Eight years!"

Charles grinned sheepishly, "Maybe?"

"Oh, I cannot believe you."

"You missed the point. You're going to fall in love with Annabeth. And I'll stand there saying 'I told you so'."

"Yeah, that's not going to happen. She'll be getting the Athenian throne soon. I'll have Corinth. We'll be separated. It'll be a marriage only in name."

"Say what you may, Perce, but I know you. You fall quick and you fall hard. She's beautiful, smart, and she's your match in every other sense. I bet you won't last a few months. And even if you do, you're married to her, so regardless, you'll come to love her at some point. Anyway, we should probably get going. Or else we'll face the wrath of the wife."

-Ω-

Annabeth returned from her meeting with several palace officials regarding the upcoming coronations. She strode into her room where Piper sat, reading something of some sort.

"How did it go?" Piper asked, not looking up from the parchment that she held in her hand, albeit the fact that it was being held upside down, completely indecipherable.

An exasperated Annabeth settled onto the bed, getting the attention of her Spartan friend. "We need more women around here. Even with Sally being the Queen, they don't seem to understand that a woman can do just as well as a man, or better for that matter. I'm tired of hearing about Percy becoming the King. Anytime I brought up _my_ coronation, they corrected me, calling it 'His Majesty, Crown Prince Perseus Jackson and his wife's joint coronation.' Sure, this marriage has put me in a better situation than I was previously in, but that doesn't mean I will settle for being the wife of the future king. I have just as much of a right to the throne as Percy does, and I cannot deal with any more of their pointless sexism. They're unwilling to accept that I will be Queen of my own kingdom as well."

Piper nodded, "I get it. I'm technically the heir to Sparta and while my uncle fought for my position for the throne, he was repeatedly told off. At this rate, Sparta will go off to some distant, incompetent cousin solely because he is male."

"Exactly. They have a woman for a ruler, the birthright queen, yet they still refer to her husband to make major decisions as if she couldn't make them on her own. Some respect is needed in this castle. Maybe it happened in Athens too, but I was oblivious to it. Helen reprimanded me on the rare occasion for supposedly assuming I had the intellect of a man, but I thought that attitude was just another characteristic of that vile witch. Never once did I imagine I would face it myself."

"Annabeth, this sounds serious. Maybe you should talk to Percy about this."

Annabeth let out a defeated sigh, "But what will that do Piper? I can't go running for help every time something gets in the way of my success. It'll just portray me as weaker. And while I normally could care less about how I'm perceived, in this situation, the public image of me draws the line between my success and, possibly, Greece's safety."

"Fair enough. Don't let this bother you right now. No matter what the ministers say, the people love you, and that's what makes you a good leader. You put the people above everything else. We need to get going now. Let's brief the others about the upcoming threats."

* * *

 **So first, sorry for the delayed update. I've had a case of everyone's favorite: writer's block. But that has been solved and we're on our way to a better place.**

 **Next, I will be updating at least once a week for the next stretch of time. I'm taking my time building this up, but you'll get the good stuff soon. I promise.**

 **Now for your opinions. What do you think of Nadia? How do you think she factors into the story? I personally love writing about her because it gives me the opportunity to be more descriptive and really let my writing flow. Also, what do you want to see more of? I am free to take any feedback you may have and work it into the story.**

 **Before I wrap things up, we need to discuss some serious stuff. I haven't gotten a chance to talk about this because I haven't updated since the tragedy, but the shooting in Parkland was absolutely devastating. Those students, innocent high schoolers, have faced a tragedy that no human being should ever have to go through. And at such a young age as well. I'm not here to make political statements, but regardless of which side of the spectrum you identify with, please understand that these students have witnessed the murder of their close friends. Their siblings, their classmates, their peers. The feeling is unimaginable. So have some respect for them. They have had the courage to speak out against injustices they see. And whether you agree or not, take into consideration what they have been through and the brave faces they have put on to face the world and face the hate they receive for being innocent victims of a cruel tragedy. I don't like discussing politics on here because I write to help others and help myself escape the real world, but it is still important to acknowledge what is going on in the world. So please, have some respect for these students and give them their privacy. After all, they, like a large portion of us, are only teenagers.**

 **Thank you to everyone who has supported this story and stuck with me all along. I've only been able to continue this because of you.**

 **Love,**

 **-AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter**

 **See ya soon! Don't forget to follow, favorite, review, the works.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Here's Chapter 17. The story has begun! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 17**

 **"What you are afraid to do is a clear indication of the next thing you need to do."**

 **-Ralph Waldo Emerson**

 _Nadia fell onto the stool conveniently placed below her as she processed the information she was just given._

 _"It's a lot to handle. But you must know. You must harness your power. You must never get reckless. You were given your powers for good. Stay within your limits. Do not let your anger get to you."_

 _"Why did you hide this from me? Why did my parents hide this from me? Could I have saved them? I could have saved them. I could have SAVED THEM! WHY? Why wouldn't you tell me?!" Nadia shouted as she crumpled to the floor in agony, screaming to herself as her aunt and uncle stepped back and watched._

 _"They told us this would happen if we told her too soon. She's young. She's far too young to control herself and her gift. Her mother told us herself. Oh, dear Goddess Vata, keep an eye for your daughter. Please help her stay within the limits of her abilities," her uncle pleaded. "We cannot rely on Vata to help her. There's too much happening that demands her attention at this moment. Nadia is our responsibility. We are all that she has left, and we cannot leave her to be. We must keep a low profile. The King and Queen have been killed and Nadia escaped. She's the next target for those wretched Greeks. We must shelter her and train her."_

 _"The Greeks will pay for what they have done. They will pay for the death of my parents and my siblings. They will regret ever setting foot on our land. I will take my time, but when I get ahold of them, they will be sorry they ever messed with us. Mithra will be my light. Vata will be my wind. I will never let them live down their actions," Nadia fumed, her voice cold, her eyes emotionless._

 _"Please, Nadia. Don't do anything senseless. You cannot get hurt. You are the country's future," her aunt begged._

 _"My people will follow me. I will get vengeance. I will avenge my mother, my father, my kingdom."_

 ** _15 years later_**

 _Nadia paced the halls of her palace, carefully planning out her next step. 15 years ago, when the Cretans burned down her adopted parents' palace, she had vowed to take them down and bring pain to the very man who set her life aflame. She would defeat his troops, invade his homeland, and kill every living member of his family, just as he had done to her. And she was on the right tracking to getting her revenge. Revenge, what a word. It sounded petty, almost childish. Vengeance sounded angry, unjustified. But Nadia wasn't childish, she wasn't unreasonable. She wanted justice. For the horrendous crimes committed against her._

 _When she was 10 years old, Nadia left her aunt's home and ventured forward, back towards where the Greeks troops were stationed. She was determined to fight them, and win. A single girl, with the power of the Gods and love in her heart. She marched forward for nearly a month, plotting every step, planning every attack, watching her enemies with an eye of a hawk._

 _With inhuman precision, she attacked the Greeks in the middle of the night. A tempest-like storm hit the center of their camp, ravaging all of their belongings. Before long, lifeless bodies lay cold on the dirt ground, a young girl soaring above them, finishing off every man standing._

 _Having defeated the enemy, Nadia triumphantly returned to the village where her family was hiding. Like the child she was, her face was lit up with excitement. It was cynical, but her eyes reflected her happiness. Upon arriving at the village, she saw nothing but destruction. Every house, every person, every object was decimated. Bodies were strewn left and right, blood was flowing freely._

 _Nadia sprinted towards her aunt's home, the wind carrying her as she ran. She sped through a maze of huts and shops, through mountains of shattered glass and blazing wood. She arrived outside her family's home. The exterior was slightly damaged, but nothing majorly problematic. She took a deep breath and stepped across the threshold of the home and entered the living room hoping her family was sitting and talking. Or sleeping. Or doing anything. As long as they were breathing, she would be elated._

 _She scanned the room for any sign of her family. Spotting something vaguely flesh-like in the corner, she moved towards the area, walking slowly and carefully. Lying just feet in front of her was her aunt's body, a dagger driven straight through her heart, her uncle and cousin lying only inches away. Nadia stood frozen. She was too late. She couldn't save them. She tried to move, but she couldn't. She tried to scream, cry for help, find someone, anyone to help her. But she couldn't. Not a single tear slipped from her eye. Stoic-faced, she spun on her heel and walked out through the door. She gathered every living person she could find and told them to make their way to the palace._

 _Over the span of a decade, she built up an army, restored herself to the throne, and erected statues of her deceased family members to remind her why she was doing what she was doing. She had every little detail of her invasion planned, down to the very last minute. But her plans were thwarted. The wedding of Perseus Jackson and Annabeth Chase threw a knife in her plans. So, she continued. She spent hours rewriting and resketching her plans. She went days with no sleep, briefing the different regiments of her vast military, getting advice from her numerous counselors and advisors. She visited the remains of the old palace to seek a sort of blessing from her parents. She offered sacrifice upon sacrifice to the gods, repeatedly praying to both Vata and Mithra for success. With time to spare, she arrived at a new plan. And she wasn't disappointed by her new approach._

-Ω-

Percy decided he was in the wrong. And that itself was a major advancement. The Prince was never one to acknowledge his flaws. He was adamant and stubborn. But if he thought he was hard to handle, his wife was triple that. She refused to accept that she was wrong. She was a daughter of Athena; how could she even possibly be incorrect about any subject matter? So, Percy had decided that he was indefinitely wrong. If Annabeth had an opinion that differed from his, he was automatically wrong. She was forced to come live in a strange kingdom and marry a stranger, so he figured he might secede that right to her.

But when it came to the interpretation of the prophecy, they were both as baffled as the other.

"How on this Earth are we supposed to understand what this means? Riddles are horrible. Why must the Oracle speak in such confusing language."

"There's nothing we can do about it. No matter what we try, we can't prevent anything from coming true. We can only change who it affects."

"I know, but we can hope. What else do we have left?"

"Hope is a useless virtue. Just wishing isn't going to create any change. It'll only fuel the flame. We need to physically do something. Sitting here and hoping things will turn out for the better is a foolish idea."

Percy and Annabeth were seated in a large, secluded living room in the private, residential sector of the palace. Nico, Thalia, Charles, and Jason had returned to their respective kingdoms. Piper had gone to visit her father in Athens, and Sally had gone off to Macedonia to negotiate. The couple was left on their own, with no one holding them apart as they fought. The relentless arguing ensued for hours, sometimes days, at a time. With no buffer between them, they began to bicker about the smallest of things: what room a meeting would be held in, what dressing would be served with the salad at a small gathering, who would refill the decal which symbolized their marriage with water every day. It became unbearable to not only the servants around them but to themselves as well.

They had been married for nearly 8 months at this point, and they had had no success in cracking the prophecy. Thankfully, no other line had come true, at least not to their knowledge.

"Maybe we have more time? Nothing has really come true at this point."

"And? What if someone gets killed tomorrow? We need to figure this out, Percy. We cannot procrastinate any further."

They clashed constantly and consistently, wherever they went, no matter what time of day. Sally had gotten so fed up with them that she banned them from entering the corridor in which her room was located, saying they brought too much anger, and to lead, one must work from kindness, not anger.

One day, when Sally was visiting the inner city and Paul was meeting some ministers, Annabeth walked into the opposite wing of the palace and knocked on Percy's door. He opened it, a little surprised, but welcoming regardless.

"Hey, are you busy by any chance?" she asked, hesitantly, as she entered her husband's room.

"No, come on in. What's wrong? Why do you look upset?"

"It's nothing. I'm just a little worried."

"Why? Did something happen? Is everything okay?"

"I'm not sure, Percy. I was doing some thinking. What if the prophecy is foretelling our deaths?"

"Even if it is, we can't do anything about it."

"That's not why I'm worried. If I die, I die, as long as I go down fighting. But what about our kingdoms?"

"What about them? Mom will take care of them."

"But she can't. Technically, if we are crowned, and one of us dies, the kingdoms belong to the other. But if we both die, they belong to the people next in line to the throne. We don't have children. And Matthew and Robert cannot take the throne of Corinth because they're too young. Meaning both Athens and Corinth go to my father and Helen because we technically don't have Athens for two more years."

"What would happen if your father has control of Corinth? He has Athens now, and while he didn't treat you right, that doesn't mean his kingdom isn't managed properly."

"I'm not concerned about my father. I'm concerned about Helen. Because it is a double-kingdomship, they would either have to unite the kingdoms or divide and conquer. Either way, Helen would have power. And she doesn't care for the people. Our poor civilians will die. She has repeatedly said that if she were in charge, 'those poor brats wouldn't receive even a morsel of food.' I'm afraid, Percy, I really am."

"You're thinking too deep into this. I think you've been cooped up inside the palace for too long. Why don't we go outside and talk? Maybe it'll help clear your head a little. Some sunlight-"

"Sunlight? Sunlight! That's it! Sunlight."

"What in Hades are you saying?"

"The people of Mithra. Sunlight. He is the Persian Sun God. The people of Mithra must then mean the Persians!"

"Wait what?"

"We're going to have to find the Persians. Oh, gods. The Persians are vicious. My uncle, my father's brother, is a terrible man, but he's also the King of Crete. He invaded a large Persian kingdom some 15 years ago. They remained there for a small while but were defeated within a few years by a small girl, no more than ten years of age."

"I stopped listening at sunlight."

"Gods what am I going to do with you? You're absolutely hopeless. Just listen when I speak, would you? Is it really that difficult? Anyway, when does Sally get back?"

"She should be back in a few hours."

"Good, I'll tell her immediately when she gets back. Maybe she'll be able to help prevent anything from going wrong."

"Let's hope."

* * *

 **Hey guys! Look at me with that one week upload. I hope to make this a more regular thing. Let's see how that goes. Anyway, we get to see more of Nadia's backstory and possibly discover what she's doing in this story. Also some Percy/Annabeth talk.**

 **We're getting closer to the good stuff, so be on the lookout. Sorry that the chapter is a little shorter than normal. I'm really tired rn, and I'm a bit lazy too.**

 **IlovePercabeth12: Thank you so much! You'll find out more about Nadia soon.**

 **Cheerra12: I'm well aware that Sparta was far less sexist than Athens, and we'll see the fruits of that later. Annabeth didn't really notice the sexism around her because she was in a bubble her whole life.**

 **Jazzy-Mae WolfQueen: It definitely is reflective of society today, but it was different back then. Just because it was a common occurrence doesn't mean they couldn't fight back. This story is more about overcoming conflict than anything else, and we'll see the women fight for their rights. While there were powerful female goddesses, they were viewed just as that, goddesses. Mortal women were still considered inferior to mortal men. Something we see Annabeth, Piper, and even Sally dealing with in the story.**

 **Percabeth824: Thank you! You won't be let down, I promise!**

 **Thank you all for your support!**

 **Love,**

 **-AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter**


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